As a Guelph Physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinic, we’re dedicated to helping our patients live the best life they can. From treating existing injuries and conditions to helping them prevent future pain and discomfort, our team is dedicated to helping you.
And that’s why we’re going to be sharing a new wellness tip each month. The tips will be simple things you can do at home or work, but regardless they’ll be focused on one thing: your wellness.
So, without further ado, this month’s wellness tip is: Schedule stretching breaks throughout your workday.
Whether you work in an office, in a factory, on an assembly line or even on the road, scheduling short stretching breaks throughout your day can be hugely beneficial to your wellness. Over the course of the day, you perform many tasks— many of which are very similar to one and another and can cause inactivity in the rest of your body. This is because your body uses its muscle memory to perform these tasks and as such learns that it doesn’t need to use other muscles. Yes, muscle memory is what helps us perform everyday tasks, but body inactivity can cause long-term problems if not broken up. This is why it’s incredibly important to schedule at least 5 minutes of stretching every 1-2 hours.
These stretches can be easy exercises like touching your toes, extending your arms to the ceiling or spinal twists and don’t even require you to get out of your chair (if you’re in one). But if basic stretches don’t seem to be working for you or if you’re different, then consider trying any of the things below for other ways to stretch.
- Go for a short walk at lunch
- Purchase a stress ball and leave it at your desk
- Substitute phone calls and emails for in-person chats
Not only will stretching and walking keep your body from inactivity— reducing your risk of pain or discomfort, but these exercises have also been proven to aid productivity, workplace morale and more! Why not try starting a workplace group or routine to share the benefits with everyone in your workplace? Stay tuned for a new Wellington Physiotherapy wellness tip next month! And in the meantime, if you have any questions regarding anything discussed above, a condition you may be suffering from, or anything else Physiotherapy or Rehabilitation related, we encourage you to reach out to us by phone or email. A member of our team would be happy to help you.