There are a substantial number of office jobs in Cambridge where employees are required to spend their day sitting at a desk day in and day out finding themselves feeling the negatives effects of physical inactivity on the body.
Anyone who sits at a desk all day knows how detrimental sitting day in and day out can be on the body, leading to discomforts like low back pain, neck pain and headaches.
Physiotherapy brings relief from negative health effects caused from working at a desk all day, as well as create a healthier, more relaxed body.
Physiotherapy uses the healing physical agents such as exercise, stretching or massage.
Therapeutic massage is the most commonly used therapy for relieving tension, but it’s not very practical to request a massage from a co-worker or bring into work your massage therapist to work.
There are however, less obvious and more subtle ways to incorporate simple self-physiotherapy into the work day. .
One of the easiest ways to integrate physiotherapy at work is to incorporate simple stretching exercises into your work routine.
Activities as simple as stretching can make an enormous difference in how your body handles the stress of sitting for hours at a desk.
So if you have a desk job, try these stretching techniques.
When you are on the phone, simply stand up without using your hands, sit back down, again without using your hands and repeat this action several times throughout the day. Of course you don’t have to be on the phone while doing this stretching activity, but if you spend considerable time on the phone it would be the perfect way to give your body some much needed stretches while being productive at the same time.
Stretching while at your desk is not only valuable to improving your health it can also be amusing. In this physiotherapy stretching technique you will be moving your head side to side and then counter by moving it up and down. How is this amusing you may be asking?
Ask yourself some silly questions! Questions which require a ‘yes’ response (moving your head up and down three times) and then a question that will elicit a ‘no’ response (moving your head side to side three times). Do this silently of course as you would not want your co-workers to think you’re headed for a mental break-down.
Take a deep breath and shrug your shoulders. Raise your shoulders to your ears, hold for a few seconds then release and lower them. Do this three times. This will not only stretch your shoulder and neck muscles it will also relieve tension.
To alleviate the pressure and tension in your upper torso take a deep breath. As you exhale turn your upper body to the right grabbing the back of your chair with your right hand and the arm of the chair with your left. Now twist your body as far to the back of your chair as possible all the while keeping your eyes level. Hold the position while seeing how far around the room your eye can observe your office. Slowly twist back to facing forward. Repeat on your left side.
Least we leave out the lower torso, this next stretch is beneficial for the legs and abs. Hold on to the seat of your chair to brace yourself. Stretch your legs out in front of you getting them parallel to the floor. Point and flex your toes five times. Release and then repeat.
For more information visit http://www.physio-cambridge.co.uk or call today on 01223 581 200 or find us at 2 Ely Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6DD