Postural Awareness

Posted on March 1st, 2022 by Andries Lodder

Many of us believe that our posture is very good, but the truth is that our brain has adapted to feeling balanced and straight when we’re not.

Posture refers to a person’s body in space and the alignment of different body parts in relation to one another. The human skeleton is designed to hold our bodies up, but bad posture means that different muscles are forced to do the job of the skeleton. When our muscles take over, it means they are burning unnecessary energy and not doing what they are meant to do. Constant bad posture can lead to musculoskeletal pain and to correct this, we need postural awareness.

‘Postural awareness is the subjective conscious awareness of body posture and is associated with pain intensity, physical and mental impairments in patients who experience chronic pain. Understanding one’s posture patterns is crucial due to its many benefits to maintain on optimal state of health.’

A relationship has been observed between spinal pain and posture which means that improving one’s posture can lead a decrease in musculoskeletal pain. Good posture can also lead to other benefits such as improved oxygenation and reduced pressure on intervertebral discs.

Posture can also be divided into either dynamic or static posture.

Dynamic posture refers to how we hold ourselves when walking, running or lifting things. Muscles and other structures must keep working to adapt to changing circumstances.

Static posture is how we hold ourselves when we are not moving like when sitting or standing. Our bodies are held in a static position by various muscle groups working together to counteract gravity.

The spine has three natural curves – neck, upper back and lower back – and good posture means maintaining these curves. In an ideal posture, a line should be passed through the lobe of the ear, the shoulder joint, the hip, the knee and the ankle.

If posture is poor for prolonged periods of time, it can start affecting your health. Increased spinal pressure, neck and back pain, decreased flexibility, make breathing more difficult and affect joint movement are just a few of the issues that could arise.

With over two years of many of us working from in front of our computers at our homemade workstations, our postures have gotten worse and worse. Therefore, is so important now to focus on correcting these imbalances and make our skeletons do the work instead of our muscles.

Work on your postural awareness during everyday activities, stay active, strengthen your core, maintain a healthy weight and make sure your work surfaces are at a comfortable height, so you are not slouching when working.

For any assistance in correcting your posture, contact us and book an assessment.

Heart Awareness Month

Posted on February 1st, 2022 by Andries Lodder

https://www.udmi.net/cardiovascular-disease-risk/

By Daniel Sauer

February is Heart Awareness Month!

Here is some information on getting a stronger, healthier heart!

Over the past 4 decades, numerous scientific reports have examined the relationships between physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular health. Expert panels, convened by organizations such as the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the American Heart Association (AHA) have established that approximately 1 in 4 deaths annually is a result of heart disease every year. The most common heart diseases are: Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack), Stroke and Coronary Artery Disease.

Some of the main risk factors for heart diseases are: High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Stress, Smoking, Hereditary factors, and Sedentary lifestyles. So, you may ask: How do I combat this and live a healthier lifestyle?

Exercise. Exercise is how one can manage and prevent heart conditions from developing or getting worse. We know regular exercise strengthens muscles, but it also helps the heart do a better job of pumping blood throughout the body. After all, your heart is a muscle!

Lower blood pressure. A healthy heart pushes out more blood with each beat, enabling it to function more efficiently. This decreases stress on the heart and surrounding arteries, potentially reducing blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, cardiovascular exercise may help lower it. If you don’t have high blood pressure, exercise may help prevent it from rising as you age.
Improve blood flow. Regular cardio-based physical activity enables the heart to achieve improved blood flow in the small vessels around it, where blockages of fatty deposits can build over time. Better circulation in these areas may prevent heart attacks. Evidence even shows that exercise can cause the body to create more physical connections between these small blood vessels, meaning the blood has more ways to travel to where it needs to go.
Improve workout efficiency. As you begin a new workout routine that includes cardio activity, it may take a while for your body to adjust to the faster pace. But the more routine exercise becomes, the quicker your body pulls needed oxygen from your blood during workouts. Regular cardiovascular training also allows your body to recover quicker after exercise.
Lower cholesterol. Many studies show that exercise is linked to healthy improvements in cholesterol, such as increasing the amount of healthy HDL cholesterol and lowering bad LDL cholesterol by as much as 10 percent.
Decrease risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Studies show regular exercise helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease as much as 21 percent for men and 29 percent for women. Additionally, active people have 20 percent less chance of stroke. Regular exercise also helps keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range and, in turn, helps lower risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Promote other heart-healthy habits. According to the American Heart Association, regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, and make better nutritional choices.
Reduce Stress. Exercise has proven to release hormones and lower one’s level of stress. This in turn, better manages several other risk factors that the average individual experiences, as well as improves one’s sleep and productivity.

For any questions, or tips, or assistance in improving your healthier and better lifestyle, Contact us and book your appointment with our biokineticists.

Benefits of Cardio

Posted on February 1st, 2022 by Andries Lodder

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/exercise/weights-versus-cardio-keep-them-separate-or-combine

By Sean Pickup

Cardiovascular exercise is one of the most important forms of exercise that exists for us. It is also one of the easiest forms of exercise to do since you don’t often need any form of equipment to do it.

Cardiovascular exercise includes running, hiking, cycling, swimming, dancing, or any form of exercise that elevates your heart rate and keeps it elevated for a prolonged amount of time. This form of exercise has endless possibilities, and they all lead to an improvement in your quality of life.

This form of exercise has numerous benefits when done regularly, including the lowering of resting heart rate and blood pressure. This takes pressure off your heart by ensuring that it does not have to work as hard all the time to pump blood throughout your body.
The American Heart Association recommends doing 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise (50-70% max heart rate) or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise (70-85% max heart rate) spread throughout the week. This exercise can be split into 30-minute sessions each day or 3 10-minute sessions each day.

It’s not just your heart that benefits from cardio exercise, here’s a list of some of the other benefits you can expect:

Brain and joints: Cardio exercise improves blood flow thus decreasing stroke risk.
Improvements in memory and thinking ability.
Fights of osteoporosis, manages arthritis and maintains joint range of motion.
Skin, muscles, and weight: Increased circulation leads to healthier skin.
Working your muscles leads to increased oxygen supply which allows your muscles to work harder. Over time, those muscles adapt to the increased workload, making exercise seem easier.
Pairing regular exercise with good nutrition can lead to weight loss. The increased number of calories burnt during exercise can lead to an overall decrease in weight. Losing weight will also decrease risk of developing diabetes, some cancers and heart disease.
Pancreas, lungs, and blood: Your pancreas helps your body convert food into energy. Regular exercise improves blood sugar levels and decreases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
This type of exercise also leads to an increase in blood flow to the lungs and reduces feelings of breathlessness in people with chronic lung conditions.
Sexual function: Regular exercise helps decrease the risk of erectile dysfunction while the positive body image and improved psychological health increases sexual well-being in women.
Mood: Regular exercise helps decrease stress by releasing feel good hormones like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The regular exercise also helps combat depression and increase self-esteem.
Sleep and energy: Regular cardiovascular exercise helps your fall asleep faster and promotes REM sleep. More sleep also means more energy for the days following.

Now that we have seen all the benefits cardiovascular exercise has on your body and wellbeing, we will now look at various types and exercises you can do to get yourself going.

Moderate intensity exercise can be maintained for long periods of time before the body becomes fatigued. This is because at 50-70% maximum heart rate, the heart is not working at its maximum capacity so our breathing is still calm, and we can continue for longer.

Examples of moderate intensity exercise are:

Walking
Cycling on a low resistance
Light jogging
Slow swimming
Hiking
Skipping

Vigorous intensity exercise cannot be maintained as long as moderate intensity exercise. This is because at 70-85% maximum heart rate, our hearts are working much harder to deliver oxygenated blood to our working muscles. This results in our breathing being much more labored and fatigue setting in much sooner. Regular vigorous exercise sessions will cause adaptations that will make the exercise feel easier such as improved blood flow to working muscles, a decreased need for highly oxygenated blood in working muscles and increased cardiac output which leads to greater cardiac pumping ability.

Examples of vigorous intensity exercises are:

Crossfit type workouts (lifting weight fast with other sprints included)
Fast jogging
Sprinting (Running, cycling and swimming)
Fast dancing

If you need any assistance with your current cardiovascular exercise programs or are wanting to start on of your own, do not hesitate to contact us.

Disability Rights Awareness Month

Posted on November 24th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

https://www.up.ac.za/family-medicine/news/post_3030936-disabilities-awareness-month-2021

By Daniel Sauer

November was International Disability Rights Awareness Month.

The international theme proclaimed by the United Nations for this year is: “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all.”

Approximately 15 – 20% of the world’s population are persons with disability. There are many types of disabilities affecting a person’s movement, vision, hearing, thinking, remembering, learning, communication, mental health, and social relationship.

Research suggests that exercise for persons with disability is even more important than for those without a disability. Why? Well, did you know that conditions such as diabetes, obesity and chronic heart conditions have been proven to be up to 66% more likely in people with disability? Physical activity is essential to improve one’s quality of life.

Sedentary behaviour that is often associated with disability, leads to deconditioning and health risk. The problem is so specific that is described as Disability-Associated Low Energy Expenditure Deconditioning Syndrome.

The impact of these chronic diseases can be reduced by Physical activity. Furthermore, there are many benefits to exercise.

Health Benefits:

Physical Activity has amplified importance for cognitive, emotional and social difficulties.
- Psychological benefits such as enhanced self-perception through successful Physical Activity experiences.
- Physical Activity can reduce stress, Pain, and depression.
- Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) become easier to do.

Social contact:

Physical Activity can reduce the stigmatisation process and negative stereotypes.
- Physical Activity can contribute to improving social status.
- Social benefits as the nature of many sports activities leads to increased social integration, bonding and friendship.

Fun:

Physical Activity leads to mood benefits.
- Enjoyment through social interaction of both fitness staff and other participants.

Extended Benefits

Reduce anxiety
Reduce feelings of stress
Encourage clearer thinking
Bring about a greater sense of calm

Increase self-esteem
Reduce risks of depression
Improve sleep
Improve one’s posture
Restore one’s abilities to an extent

“Focus on the ABILITY, not the disability”.

For any questions, or to get started, contact us at any time and let us assist you in being your best selves!

Keep Moving While You Rest

Posted on November 24th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By Sean Pickup

December is fast approaching and many of us will soon be on leave making our way to our holiday destinations. These end of year holidays are great for everyone to just take a deep breath and take a break from the stressful year. Although we will be resting, it is important to stay even just a little active in order to keep the body healthy and to keep up those fitness levels.

In this article we are going to go through some different exercises and stretches we can do from the comfort of wherever you are staying without any equipment needed.

Exercises:

Body Weight Squats: This is a great exercise for your legs as well as your core which can even be done in front of the TV. Standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your toes pointing slightly out, push you bum back as if you are going to sit down. Squat until your knees are at 90 degrees and then come back up. Make sure to keep your upper body nice and upright and do not round those shoulders. Do 10 repetitions for 3 sets.

Lunges: Another exercise to be done anywhere and anytime. Take a big step forward with one leg and going onto the toe of the back leg. Making sure your body remains upright, bend your back knee straight down to the floor and back up. Make sure not to shit forward as this will put pressure on the front knee. Perform 10 on one leg and then swap for a total of 3 sets.

Push-ups: The good thing about these are that they can be done at various difficulty levels. Begin by using the back of your couch as the easiest level. Place your hands on the back of your couch just wider than shoulder width. Keeping your body in one line and keeping your elbows close to your side, lower your chest towards the couch until your elbows are at 90 degrees and back up. If this is too easy, move to your coffee table or even to the most difficult option, on the floor. Perform 10 reps for a total of 3 sets.

Dead Bugs: This exercise is great to improve your core strength. Start by laying flat on your back. Bring your legs up off the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your arms straight out in front of you. Keeping the core tight, lower one leg down while the opposite arm moves above your head. Bring both your arm and leg back to the starting position and change sides. Perform 10 reps on each side for a total of 3 sets.

Plank: The class elbow plank position is a great exercise to help strengthen your core. Start by lying flat on your stomach, place your elbows directly below your shoulders and lift your body into the air while staying on your toes with your legs straight. Hold this for 30 seconds to a minute. To make this more challenging, either hold for longer and longer each time or lift either an arm or a leg for 10 seconds at a time. Do 3 sets of these.

Stretches:

Glute Stretch: This stretch can be done while sitting on the couch or at the pool even. Sit up straight on the edge of your couch or chair, place your right foot on top of your left knee. Bend your left knee until it is at 90 degrees and you should already start feeling a stretch in your bum. If you do not feel a stretch yet, lean forward with your upper body, this will intensify the stretch. Hold this position for 1 minute and then change legs. Repeat these 3 times per leg.

Hamstring Stretch: This is also a stretch that can be done from the comfort of your chair. Again, sit upright on the edge of your chair. Keeping one leg bent, extend the other one straight out in front of you with your heel on the floor. If you are not already feeling the stretch in the back of the leg, lean your upper body forward by moving your chest towards your knee. Hold this for 1 minute and then change legs. Repeat each leg 3 times.

Upper Back Stretch: This may be one of the simplest stretches you can do, it can even be done while lying in bed. Clasp your hands together out in front of you. Push both hands forward while trying to make your back as round as possible. This will pull your shoulder blades apart and stretch the muscles of the upper back very nicely. Hold this for 1 minute and repeat 3 times.

Chest Stretch: My apologies, this one you are going to have to stand up for. Go find yourself a doorway and place each forearm against either side of it. Place on foot in front of the other and lean forward so that your cheat begins to open and start to stretch. Hold this position for 30 seconds before swapping legs for another 30 seconds. Repeat these 3 times.

If you need any help with your training, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Covid 19 Vaccine – Answering your exercise related questions!

Posted on November 3rd, 2021 by Andries Lodder

BY DANIEL SAUER

COVID-19 has drastically changed our lives over the past 2 years — from the way we interact with other people to the way we work. It has even changed the way we exercise.

These days, the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine is helping us get back some sense of normality in daily life. For many people, that means going back to the gym or pool. But, as with any kind of new treatment, people naturally have questions.

What are the common side effects that I should be aware of?

Each vaccine has slightly different side effects. However, research and anecdotal evidence have shown that the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccines share a number of common side effects. These may include:

pain, swelling, or discoloration in the vaccinated arm
headaches
muscle soreness
nausea or an upset stomach
fatigue
chills
fever

Many people report mild side effects after the first dose of a two-dose vaccine. However, one study showed that about 50% of people experienced moderate-to-severe side effects after their second dose. It is important to note that most side effects are normal, as they are the body’s way of responding to the vaccine.

Is it safe for me to exercise after receiving the vaccine?

Yes. Even though everyone’s body will react differently and show different side effects, recent research has not identified any risks. A 2021 New England Journal of Medicine study states that side effects may be more intense after the second shot than the first. However, it does not mention any danger as a result of exercising. Essentially, a person should listen to their body after receiving the vaccine and expect not to feel 100% during their next workout. Research has proven that exercises generally reduces the severity of side effects following a vaccine.

Should I avoid exercise after the vaccine?

You may want to avoid moderate to vigorous exercise immediately after receiving the vaccine only if you have an allergic reaction to the vaccine itself.

Common symptoms of an allergic reaction to the vaccine include: hives, swelling, and wheezing (a sign of respiratory distress). These symptoms usually occur within 4 hours of receiving the vaccine. If you have a history of asthma or any respiratory issues, you may want to avoid vigorous aerobic exercise until you know how your body will react to the vaccine.

What types of exercise should I do after COVID-19 vaccine

There is no specific type of exercise recommended after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. However, exercise in general has been shown to be an effective immunity booster and may even increase the effectiveness of the vaccine.

In a 2021 review on exercise and immunity, researchers noted that moderate to vigorous physical activity resulted in a 31% reduced risk of community-acquired diseases and a 37% reduced risk of mortality from infectious diseases. In addition, exercise has been shown to increase the potency of the vaccine by increasing antibody concentration. These results were not specific to COVID-19, but this is another benefit of habitual exercise.

Researchers looked at aerobic exercise and resistance training individually and in combination; and it all proved to show benefits to those who do exercise.

The Bottom Line

No research has suggested increased health risks associated with exercising after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Exercise is recommended to help manage pain at the injection site and reduce side effects severity.

Exercise may be difficult if you have more severe side effects. If you have symptoms of an allergic reaction to the vaccine, such as hives, swelling or trouble breathing, contact a doctor and hold off on exercise.

If you feel up to exercising after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, it shouldn’t cause any issues. Exercise may even be helpful in reducing the risk of infectious disease and improving the potency of vaccines. If you feel well enough to move, then do it!

For any other questions, CONTACT US for advice and more!

Breast Cancer: Signs to look out for and ways to help prevent it.

Posted on November 3rd, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By SEAN PICKUP

October is International Breast Cancer Awareness month. What follows is just a bit of information regarding what signs and symptoms to look out for as well as ways to help prevent you from getting this disease.

According to the 2017 National Cancer Registry, breast cancer is the most common cancer among all races of women with the risk of a woman getting it in her lifetime as high as 1 in 25. (CANSA, n.d.) The risk of a woman developing any type of breast cancer is staggeringly high which highlights the importance of identification and prevention.

Breast cancer happens when some breast cells begin to grow abnormally. These cells divide rapidly and continue to grow until a lump or mass is formed. These cells may even spread through your breast and into your lymphatic system thus spreading them throughout the body. Hormonal, lifestyle and environmental factors can all lead to an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Some risk factors for breast cancer are:

Being female (It is very rare, but males can also suffer from breast cancer)
Increased age
Previous breast cancer in one breast increases the risk of getting it in the other one
Family history of breast cancer
Obesity increases your overall risk
Alcohol consumption
Radiation exposure to the chest area.
Never being pregnant or having your first child over the age of 30

Although there are many risk factors involved, some women will have may of them and never develop the disease while some women with no risk factors will.

Now for some big warning signs to look out for:

Any kind of lump or thickening of tissue felt in the breast
Changes in the shape, size or appearance of the breast as well as any changes to the skin over the breast
Any peeling or flaking of the skin surrounding the nipple or a newly inverted nipple.

If you notice any of these symptoms, book an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

There are however some ways we can try and prevent women from getting this disease even if it just decreasing their overall risk:

Conduct breast self-examinations regularly. This will not prevent you from getting breast cancer but it will help you notice any changes much sooner.
Limit overall alcohol consumption.
Increase your activity level. If you exercise regularly, keep it up. If you don’t, try start with just 30 minutes of walking every second day and gradually increase the time and intensity.
Eat a healthier diet. Healthier food will help with the weight reduction and it will also make you feel better overall.

Maintaining a healthy body weight. The increase in exercise will help regulate your body weight as well as the healthy diet.

These preventative measures will not stop you from getting the disease, but they will definitely help decrease your overall risk.

If you need any assistance with any kind of exercise program in order to get active or to stay active, do not hesitate to contact us.

Why your core is so important.

Posted on September 6th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

The first thing everyone thinks when they hear about training their core is training for a six pack, flat stomach or a small waist. What many people don’t realise is that your core is made of up of many muscles the include abdominal, back and pelvic muscles and the main reason for strengthening them is to add stability to the entire torso.

Reasons to train your core:

Strong core muscles are vital for everything you do throughout the day. They help keep you upright and support your spine when doing simple tasks like climbing stairs or bending over to pick something up. These muscles also play an important role in your overall balance by providing full body stability and helping prevent falls or even stopping yourself from falling when caught off balance. Having a strong core also helps reduce the risk of injury when playing sport or exercising in the gym by increasing your overall stability.

It is also incredibly important to keep the muscles in your pelvic floor strong, especially in women. These muscles can be weakened by the following:

Childbirth
Weight gain
Menopause

Making sure these pelvic floor muscles remain strong is also important in preventing any type of organ prolapse such as bladder, bowels or even the uterus.

How to train your core:

A common misconception is that core training involves simply doing lots of crunches or sit-ups. This is in fact the opposite as doing to many of these abdominal specific exercises can lead to core imbalances as well as placing unnecessary pressure on your back.
Instead, by performing full body exercises like squats, lunges, controlled deadlifts and even planks, you get an awareness of your entire body by strengthening it. This is because the core muscles need to be activated and strong in order to remain upright during these movements in order to perform them correctly. It is also much more efficient to train your core by doing these full body strength movements as it works the core on a deeper level while also strengthening other muscles throughout the body.

Here are some typical core exercises that are easy to do at home:

Body-weight Lunges: Standing up straight, step forward with one foot while going onto the toe of the leg behind. Slowly bend the back leg so the knee is going down towards the ground. Maintain an upright posture and do not let the knee of the front leg go over your toe as this increases pressure on the knee.

Plank: Lower yourself to the floor into a push up position, now move your weight from your hands to your elbows so the points of contact with the floor are your forearms. Make sure your elbows are shoulder width apart from each other. Placing your weight over your elbows, lift your knees so that your body is in a straight line from head to heel. Keep your abs and glutes contracted throughout the hold and make sure your back does not begin to arch. Make sure your back is also rounded at the top by pushing your shoulder blades away from one another.

Crunches: Starting flat on your back with your legs bent at 90 degrees. Tighten your abdominal muscles and visualize pushing your lower back firmly into the floor. Keeping these muscles tight, slowly roll your shoulders up off the floor as if you are moving one vertebra at a time. Keep crunching until your shoulder blades are off the floor and slowly lower yourself back down. Perform these 10 times for a total of three sets.

If you are having any trouble dealing with lower back pain or a weak core, please feel free to contact us so we can help you out and get you as strong as you can be.

Exercises to do from the comfort of your own bed!

Posted on June 30th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By Daniel Sauer

In this winter cold, getting out of bed to get to the gym is a lot tougher than before. But, what if there was a way to strengthen some of your muscles from the comfort of your own bed?

Well, there are many different exercises one can do from their own bed. And there are even some added benefits!

Mattresses provide a slightly unstable surface. Similar to using a foam mat or exercise ball, bed exercises may help recruit small stabilizing muscles while working large prime movers. Unstable surfaces can be beneficial for building core strength, improving balance, and toning areas of the body like the abs and glutes.

Thoracic Rotations

1. Lie on your side, knees bent, hands out in front of your chest
2. Keeping this position, rotate from your trunk to try get the top arm flat on the floor on the other side.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.
4. Complete 2 sets of 10 repetitions per side

Glute Bridge and March

1. Lie on you back, with your knees bent and feet planted firmly.
2. Squeeze your glute muscles and lift your hips up, keeping your shoulders and feet on your bed
3. Keeping your hips up and your knees bent, slowly raise 1 leg and bring your knee towards your chest.
4. Lower that same leg back to the starting position, and repeat on the opposite leg
5. Once you have done this with both legs, lower your waist, and repeat the movements
6. Complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions per side

Shoulder Taps

1. Get into a high arm plank position
2. Gently raise 1 hand and tap the opposite shoulder
3. Lower that hand repeat on the other arm
4. Complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions per side

Bird-Dog

1. Get into a ‘table top’ position, with your arms in line with your shoulders, and your knees in line with your hips.
2. Raise 1 arm and extend the opposite leg simultaneously.
3. Keep your hips straight and don’t create an arch in your back.
4. Return to the ‘table top’ position after 10 – 12 repetitions, and repeat on the opposite side.
5. Complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions per side

These few simple exercises should get the blood flowing and the body warm! Any exercise is better than no exercises, so try them out and see how you feel!

For other exercises, or help with any pain/discomfort please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Keeping loose and active behind your desk

Posted on June 22nd, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By Sean Pickup

Still finding yourself stuck behind your desk at home? Struggling to find time in the day to exercise and stretch? Stress no more because we have come up with a few exercises and stretches that you can do from your work chair while you work.

Sitting behind your desk for long periods of time causes muscles to become stiff which is only being made worse by this cold. This stiffness can lead to pain, discomfort and even injury when we do try and exercise again.

Finding time during your work day to just walk around the house, stand up for a few minutes and even stretch will help release the tension in your muscles which will also help with your stress levels.

Taking the time to do these few stretches and exercises will help ease the tension in those muscles and release those feel good hormones in the brain which will decrease overall stress levels and make the work day go by just a little bit faster.

Exercise:

Standing up – the first exercise is the simplest but probably the most important. Taking 10-15 minutes out of every hour just to stand up and stretch the legs, will help decrease the risk of heart disease and obesity as well as helping prevent any unwanted neck and back pain.

Seated bicycles – In a seated position with your back up straight and feet on the floor, your hands behind your head. Lift one knee up and bring the opposite elbow down to meet it in the middle. Bring both your knee and elbow to the starting position and repeat 10 times before swapping sides.

Leg lifts – In a seated position wit your back up straight, lift one leg, squeezing the guad muscles (keeping it straight) up until you feel the back of your leg (the hamstring) come off the chair. Hold the position for 20 seconds before lowering and swapping legs. Repeat each leg 5 times.

Desk Push ups – Before you sit down after your 15 minute standing break, you can do some push ups on your desk to keep your upper body strong.
Facing your desk, lean forward onto the edge of the desk with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Lower your body down until your chest touches the desk and then push yourself back up until your arms are locked. Keep your body in a straight line. Do this 10-15 times depending on how difficult you find it.

Stretches:

Figure 4 stretch – In a seated position with your back up straight, place on foot on your opposite knee (like you are crossing your legs). Gently push down on the knee that is raised until you feel a pull in your glute. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Upper back stretch – Sitting up tall in your chair, extend both arms out in front of your body, putting one hand on top of the other. Reach your hand out further until you feel your shoulder blades moving away from each other. Once you feel the top of your back stretching, gently bend your head forward and hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

Seated Hamstring stretch – Sitting up tall at the edge of your chair, straighten one leg out and place your heel on the floor. Gently lean your torso forward until you feel a stretch in the back of your leg. To make the stretch more intense, you can pull your toes towards you. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.

A sedentary lifestyle is a major problem now days – especially with peoples’ occupations and working hours lending them towards sitting in front of a computer all day. To reverse these type of injuries and aches or prevent them from occurring at all, contact us today and let us help you.