Unfortunately, one of things that can cause the most chronic pain — back pain, knee pain, joint pain, and more — is something that most of us do every single day. Constantly sitting (and often with improper posture) in an office chair can easily lead back, shoulder, and knee pain; similarly, typing all day without the right support may result in joint pain, arthritic conditions, or carpel tunnel syndrome. Thankfully, healthcare professionals and researchers all over the world are working on ways to treat these problems before it comes to visits to the hip joint replacement doctor and preparation for surgery.

Solution #1: Wean Yourself Off 10 Hour Workdays
Too many Americans are somewhat or even entirely addicted to work. This can be harmful to workers’ physical and mental well-being. Working long hours at sedentary office jobs promotes obesity, which can — in turn — result in knee and hip joint problems. That’s a big deal, especially given that 719,000 Americans underwent knee joint replacement surgery and another 332,000 had total hip replacement surgery just last year. The first step in solving this problem is scaling back the workday and working eight hour days (and that means not checking your work emails compulsively after hours, too!).

Amsterdam researchers are working toward a solution that would completely eliminate the temptation of putting in too many hours at the office by well, taking employees’ desks away. 

“At 6pm, desks are lifted into the ceiling using a key-operated lifting mechanism and steel ceiling cables,” CNBC reports. “Computers, stationary and paperwork are left in their exact positions for the morning, leaving employees no choice but to step away from their work.”

Solution #2: Get Up, And Get Moving
Manufacturers are working on all kinds of solutions to get office workers out of their chairs and moving. The smart desk (a desk that senses when you are standing and sitting and suggests when exactly you should be doing it), standing desks, and treadmill desks are all in the works — and some early models are even available for purchase already.

If preparation for surgery or surgical prep is in your future, that’s okay. (Eighty-five percent of knee joint replacement surgeries last 20 years or more.) If not, working shorter days and staying on your feet as much as possible can help you avoid problems in the first place.