A Physical Therapist’s Tips To Stay Healthy & Energetic At Work
In every industry, the work culture has changed a lot in the last few decades. Since the time we started using computers, prolonged sitting has become quite common. If you sit in one place continuously for more than a few hours, it leads to health problems.
Perhaps that’s the reason physical therapists always advise people to take short breaks. It not only helps in refreshing your mind but also has a lot of benefits for your physical health.
Whether you work in a high-end office or you spend your time working on manufacturing plants and construction sites, living a pain-free life is essential for one and all. If you are unwell, you can’t perform at your best; therefore, it’s vital to take care of your health. Those who have jobs that require intense physical activity remain at the high risk of workplace injuries.
However, those who have sitting jobs end facing a wide range of problems due to lack of physical movements. You feel pain in your neck, back, shoulders, and arms, etc., after sitting for long periods of time. Besides, some people also experience pain in the wrist, knees, hips, and lower back, etc.
The only way to enjoy a healthy while still performing your duties on time is to consult a physical therapist. Your therapist will not only treat your condition, but they will also educate you.
According to Priority Physical Therapy, “We assess the worker’s current functional abilities and gather information regarding his/ her job requirements. Treatment is both evaluative and restorative. Therapy will utilize a combination of manual therapy techniques, therapeutic exercises, body mechanics training, modalities, and patient education/ home programming.“
So, if you have a full time sitting job, here is how you can maintain your health.
Correct You Sitting Posture
You can reduce the risk of a variety of health conditions that stem from prolonged sitting by correcting your posture. Always make sure that you sit up straight. If you slouch, then make sure you stop that in the first place. Slouching is a bad habit; therefore, you should always try to avoid it. Most people who slouch end up struggling with spinal problems. They struggle with conditions like neck pain and back pain frequently. Although you get tips to prevent back pain from your family and health professionals; however, sometimes it’s better to use your intelligence as well.
While sitting at your desk, make sure that you keep your back straight, feet flat on the floor, and knees at a 90-degree angle. Besides, you should keep your computer at an eye level, so that you do not have to stretch your neck.
Use An Ideal Chair
Using the right chair is utterly crucial to keep your spine healthy. Maintaining the actual shape of your spine is highly vital to keep the musculoskeletal conditions at bay. If you are using an uncomfortable chair, ask your boss to replace it with a better one that can offer the right support to your back.
Also, if you are feeling uncomfortable, you can use a footrest. Nowadays, you will find a wide range of office chairs which offer the maximum comfort to employees. You can also use them!
Take Breaks Frequently
Taking short breaks is an ideal way of keeping your body pain-free. When you get up from your seat frequently, it not only helps in improving your circulation but also makes it easier for you to concentrate on your task once you get back at your desk. Since it helps in refreshing your mind, you can focus on your work. Walking around your office is an excellent way of relieving the compression that results from long hours of sitting.
Stretch Your Body Regularly
Stretching is very crucial for people with the sitting jobs. They should keep on performing basic stretches that do not take much time. Stretch your neck if you are feeling uncomfortable. Roll your neck in all the directions to relieve tightness. You can also roll your head to the right side and hold that position for at least 15 seconds. Do it again but this time around roll your head to the left side. Besides, you can also stretch your chin all the way to your chest and tuck it.
Similarly, you can carry out upper body stretch and hamstring stretch at work.
Drink Water Frequently
Keeping your body hydrated is utterly vital to stay healthy. Always keep a bottle of water at your desk, so that you can drink it frequently. If you are someone who does not like drinking plain water, you can mix lemon in it. Make sure that before taking the lunch you take enough of water.
It not only helps in reducing the amount of food you consume during the mealtime but also keeps you healthy. It helps in flushing out toxins from your body, strengthens the immune system, and promotes weight loss.
Drinking water frequently helps in preventing dry mouth and bad breath.