Do you find yourself feeling tight or stiff when working from home? Do you have your work station set up appropriately? Here are some tips & tricks to help keep you pain free while working from home!

 

How to set up your work station:

1. Chose a comfortable chair with a backrest.
2. Make sure your desk has enough room underneath it for your legs to easily fit.
3. Ensure that your shoulders are relaxed, upper arms comfortably by your side and wrists in a neutral position (not bent up/down).
4. Your keyboard should be directly in front of you within a comfortable reach and your mouse alongside it.
5. Bring your chair as close to your desk as manageable (adjust the armrest height if in the way).
6. Sit with your back comfortably resting against your back rest.
7. Place both feet flat on the floor, or if they do not reach (if you’re of short stature like me!) place them in a box or stool.
8. The upper third of your screen should be at eye-level and at arms length from you.

 

Other tips to keep any niggles at bay:

1. Try not to overthink your posture - our bodies are built to move and adapt: your next posture is your best posture!
2. Aim to get up from your desk and move at least every thirty minutes.
3. If you can, use a headset when taking calls.
4. Try to incorporate as much movement as you can into your work day:
   

   - Can you take a work call while going for a walk?

   - Can you take a video call standing rather than sitting?

5. Try to keep a routine and structure in your day.
6. Exercise! Not only will it help to keep you physically in check but mentally and emotionally too 😊

 

Keep yourself moving at your desk:

Here are some simple exercises to do at your desk, for times when you do not have the opportunity to get up and move:

 

1. Seated twist - get your upper back moving!

1. Move yourself forward in your chair, away from the backrest, and keep your feet on the floor.
2. Sit up tall and place your arms across your chest (like you are making the letter ‘X’).
3. Inhale and grow as tall as you can through your spine. Exhale and twist to your right.
4. As you breathe in, grow tall again and each time you exhale see can you twist a little further. Aim for about 5 breath cycles.
5. Repeat this to the left side.

**You may feel a tightness or stretch feeling in your upper back. If you feel any pain please stop the exercise immediately.**

 

 

2. Stretch out your shoulders and neck:

 

1. To stretch your right side: sit comfortably and tilt your left ear towards your left shoulder.
2. You should feel a stretch in the right side of your neck or across the top of your shoulder.
3. If you would like to intensify the stretch: sit on your right hand and/or place your left hand onto your head to gently pull a little further.
4. Aim to hold the stretch for 20-30seconds.
5. Repeat on the opposite side.

**You should not feel any pain, if you do please stop the exercise immediately**

 

 

3. Stretch your low back and hips:

1. To stretch your right side:
2. Move yourself forward in your chair, away from the backrest and keep your feet on the floor.
3. Place the outside of your right leg/ankle across your left thigh.
4. Sit up tall and gently lean forward.
5. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
6. Repeat on the opposite side.
7. You should feel a stretch in your right low back or buttock area.

**You should not feel any pain, if you do please stop the exercise immediately**

 

🌟If you find these exercises helpful, you can see detailed videos on a variety of exercises and injuries in our Members' Area, alongside a comprehensive on-demand library of Clinical Pilates Classes. 🌟

 

 

Information based on:

Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health & Ergonomics (2020). A Guide To Working Well and Safely in Your Home Office. Ireland: ISCP.

 

**Please note: The information in this blog post is for general information and not meant to replace a medical or physiotherapy assessment.

 

Have you ever injured yourself? Did you know what to do?

 

My guess is you’re probably familiar with the age-old acronym of RICE or PRICE - Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. What you may not be so familiar with is the fact that this advice has now COMPLETELY CHANGED!

 

So what should you do now if you suffer a soft tissue injury?

Not to sound too hippy but PEACE & LOVE...yep I’m serious this is the most recent evidence-based advice!

 

For the first 72 hours after sustaining an injury, the following is recommended:

 

This has not changed from previous advice and guidelines. It is important to protect the injured area by giving it relative rest in the early days, by not engaging in activities or movements that evoke pain.

 

2. Elevate

Again, this is not new information and remains from previous advice. Elevation means keeping the injured area higher than your heart (if possible!). This should be done as often as is feasible for the first three days after injury.

 

3. Avoid Anti-Inflammatory Modalities

Inflammation after an injury is a good thing! Inflammation is a normal part of the recovery process and a necessary step towards healing. It is recommended to avoid taking anti-inflammatory medications, using anti-inflammatory rubs or lotions and using ice as they will all slow down the healing process.

 

4. Compression

Applying compression to the area - through the use of tape or elastic bandage - helps to reduce swelling in the first few days after injury.

 

5. Education

This one is really targeted towards healthcare professionals to educate patients that an active recovery is the best approach to dealing with an injury. Passive treatment like electrotherapy (ultrasound, laser, TENS etc), manual therapy (hands-on treatments) and acupuncture are not recommended in the early stages of healing.

 

 

After the first three days of healing the following is recommended:

 

 

1. Load

To promote recovery you will need to gradually load the injured area as you resume normal activities and exercise. Listen to your body and let pain be your guide.

 

2. Optimism

Be optimistic about your ability to recover! Your mind plays a strong role in the healing process - positive expectations are highly correlated with better outcomes.

 

3. Vascularisation

Pain-free cardiovascular exercise should be started from day 3 post-injury. Examples include: swimming, cycling, walking, running, using a crosstrainer etc. This will help to promote blood flow to the injured tissues to facilitate optimal recovery.

 

4. Exercise

There is strong evidence that exercise improves mobility, strength, balance and proprioception (an awareness of a joint in space) after injury. Pain can be used as a guide when progressing exercises. Maintaining activity levels and taking an active approach to recovery is key!

 

 

Did you know?

Treating a soft-tissue injury optimally in the early stages reduces the likelihood that it will persist and become chronic. If you do have a chronic injury or persistent pain this blog post may be of interest to you. 

 

 

Information based on: 

Dubois, B., Esculier , J. (2020). Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. British Journal of Sports Medicine; 54, pp. 72-73.

 

Why is physical activity so important?

 

 

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading global risk factor for mortality, after high blood pressure, smoking and high blood glucose levels. Overall, physical inactivity is the cause of 3.2 million deaths worldwide!

 

Being physically active has an array of health benefits:

• Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke
• Improves cognitive (brain) health
• Helps with weight management
• Improves bone health
• Reduces the risk of falls
• Improves sleep
• Reduces the risk of dementia
• Improves your ability to do daily activities
• Reduces the risk of certain cancers and type 2 diabetes
• Improves psychological health

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How physically active do we need to be?

 

We should aim to be physically active everyday - any activity is better than none!

 

Adults of all ages should aim for at least:

• Muscle strengthening exercises on at least 2 days per week.

• 150-300 minutes moderate intensity exercise per week.
• E.g. walking, dancing, cycling, hiking etc.
• You should be able to talk but not sing!

• 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise per week.
• E.g. jogging/running, cycling up hill, swimming, aerobics etc.
• You will find it difficult to talk at this level!
   

Adults > 65 years of age & those living with chronic conditions should include:

• Exercises incorporating balance and strengthening components at least 3 days per week.
• E.g. pilates, tai chi, yoga, etc.

 

Most importantly: some exercise is better than none!

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Cut down on time spent sitting!

 

Unfortunately modern lifestyle has us sitting much more than we used to. We have all heard the term “sitting is the new smoking” - but is it really?

In a study carried out in 2010, sitting for prolonged periods during the day was found to be associated with:

• 112% increase risk of diabetes
• 147% increase of a cardiovascular event occurring

 

Research shows that these effects cannot be eliminated by just meeting physical activity guidelines, sedentary behaviour must also be cut down.

 

Take home message: Keep active & reduce your time spent sitting!

 

 

Sources:

Ding, D., Mutrie, N., Bauman, A., Pratt, M., Hallal, P.R. and Powell, K.E. (2020). Physical activity guidelines 2020: comprehensive and inclusive recommendations to activate populations. The Lancet, 396(10265), pp.1780-1782.

National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity: Benefits of Physical Activity (updated 2020).

Owen, N., Healy, G. N., Matthews, C. E., & Dunstan, D. W. (2010). Too much sitting: the population health science of sedentary behavior. Exercise and sport sciences reviews, 38(3), 105–113.

Wilmot, E.G., Edwardson, C.L., Achana, F.A. et al. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia 55, 2895–2905 (2012).

 

There are different types of arthritis, in this blog post I am specifically relating to osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis which primarily affects the hip and knee joints.

 

Osteoarthritis typically causes:

• Pain
• Stiffness
• Reduced movement of the joint
• Reduced function which may affect day-to-day activities.

 

The National Institute for Healthcare & Excellence advise that osteoarthritis can be diagnosed clinically without an X-ray if the individual:

• is over 45,
• has activity-related joint pain and
• Has no morning joint-related stiffness.

 

Structural changes on X-rays do not always correlate with the severity of pain the individual feels; for example, minimal changes on a scan may be associated with severe pain or the individual may experience very mild pain yet display modest changes on an x-ray.

 

Myths:

The most common myth about arthritis is that it is a normal process of ageing and gets worse as you get older - this is not true!

 

Treatment:

There are effective strategies that can improve pain and function for those with arthritis. The National Institute of Healthcare & Excellence advises all treatment plans for arthritis must include exercise. It is recommended for all ages and all pain levels. The exercises should include:

• Local muscle strengthening (e.g. pilates, weighted exercises)
• Aerobic exercise (e.g. walking, swimming, cycling)
• Stretching (e.g. pilates, yoga, home exercise programme)

 

Recent Cochrane systematic reviews (the highest level of evidence) found that exercise reduces pain and improves function in individuals with hip and knee arthritis.

 

Take home message: Exercise is the core recommendation for the management of arthritis.

 

Information based on:

 

Fransen, M., McConnell, S., Hernandez‐Molina, G., Reichenbach, S. (2014). Exercise for osteoarthritis of the hip. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD007912.

Fransen, M., McConnell, S., Harmer, AR., Van der Esch, M., Simic, M., Bennell, KL. (2015). Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004376.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2014, reviewed 2017). Osteoarthritis: care and management. Clinical Guideline CG177.

Lets go through three different exercises you can do at home to:

1. Keep your upper & mid-back mobile
2. Keep your upper & mid-back strong
3. Help prevent issues occurring in these areas.

 

1. Mobility Exercise (to get the spine moving!)

a) Sit up tall with your legs crossed or knees bent up in front of you hip distance apart.

b) Place the back of your right hand against the outside of your left leg. Place your left hand on the floor behind you.

c) Breathe in as you grow tall through your trunk, breathe out as you twist your body to the left.

d) See can you go further, using your breathing (as above) to help.

e) Do this for 20 seconds and then repeat to the opposite side.

 

2. Strengthening Exercise (to keep the muscles able to do everyday activities!)

a) Lie face down with your arms by your side and your tailbone tucked underneath you.

b) Gently engage your core like you were ever so slightly tightening a belt.

c) Lift your arms up and reach towards your toes. Hold this for the count of 10. You should feel your arms and the middle of your back working.

d) Lower the arms.

e) Repeat 5 times.

*Members of JennyPhysioPilates click here to see a detailed video on how to do the exercise correctly & how to make adjustments for certain injuries or issues.*

 

3. Stretching Exercise (to keep the muscles mobile & flexible!)

a) Start on your hands and knees. Sit your hips back towards your heels.

b) Lift your left hand off the floor and loop it underneath your right armpit, twisting your body as you do so.

c) Lower your left shoulder as close to the floor as you can. Keep reaching with your left arm.

d) Keep breathing as you hold this for 20 seconds. Each time you exhale see can you reach a little further.

e) Repeat going to the opposite side.

*Members of JennyPhysioPilates click here to see a detailed video on how to do the exercise correctly & how to make adjustments for certain injuries or issues.*

 

 

Note: You should not feel any pain doing these exercises. You may feel the area working or stretching but it should not be painful - please stop the exercise immediately if pain occurs.