As ‘back to school’ and of course ‘back to work’ is reaching its daily normality, thoughts of the summer dissipate, and the darkening evenings become a reality. Many are pleased to return to their usual routines and desks to get the work flowing. For those that are retired, this ‘joy’ might not be relevant; however, managing home economics and day to day life will usually take some administration. It is easy to forget that to get the best out, you usually have to put the best in, and that might be as simple as the way you sit and maintain your posture as you work.
When is the last time you reviewed your workspace and your seating arrangements? We have revisited a previous Life Made Simple Physiotherapy blog to consider some important points for all generations.
‘Desk-itis’ starts early
Office, home administration, school and university work tends to involve a lot of time sitting at a desk in front of a PC, although this can now be anywhere you prefer. The wonders of mobile connectivity!
We have talked about the ‘weekend warrior’ in a past blog – we all know at least one person who is desk-bound at the office all week and then goes crazy on home or garden projects at the weekends. Well, being desk-bound starts much earlier than your first job, and now that study is so much more flexible, your desk and chair set-up can vary considerably depending on where you’re working. One reasonable question might be ‘are you really sitting comfortably?’.
Posture and proper equipment
Individuals, businesses and education centres are aware these days that posture and proper equipment are really important in maintaining the health of your muscles and frame as you sit and work; however, it’s clear from our engagement with clients that not everybody is able to achieve this, particularly if you don’t have a permanent study base, or are competing for space with others working from home. ‘Desk-itis’, as one of our clients nicknamed it, is a real and increasing issue for many students and employees and it can have a lasting impact on their lives, particularly if they head straight from education into a desk-bound job, especially with the fun of ‘gap years’ off the agenda for many. Hopefully, a new employer would have undertaken a workstation assessment to ensure you are comfortable at your work desk, but this doesn’t always happen.
The habit of moving
There is normally a wide range of activities available for school and university students to encourage them to keep moving; sports is built in to the curriculum in schools to age 18, and after that there should be plenty of free time and options available for students to take part in sporting activities they enjoy. However, as young people are given more freedom to choose how they use their time, it can be easy to slip into a routine of limited activity, poor posture and quite possibly a less than optimal diet, particularly at times of academic pressure. Putting in place regular sessions of activity early in life is a fantastic way of ensuring that exercise is built into your daily routine as you move from study to employment and eventually of course into retirement. Individuals usually have changing needs as they move through their individual life stages.
Physiotherapy for children and young people
At Life Made Simple Physiotherapy, we offer physiotherapy to children aged 9 years old or more, through to older ages. Tackling muscular and skeletal issues early can be a very effective way of preventing or reducing the mobility problems that plague so many people in later life. More immediately, of course, physiotherapy can help a child or young person enjoy to the full their chosen activity or sport.
Maintaining activity and mobility in older ages can be vital to maintain wellbeing, and often clients find our massage and reflexology services helpful in this regard.
Contact Us
We look forward to helping you and your family members with your physiotherapy needs. If you are interested in our services feel free to call us on 07309 272 555 or email Physio@Lifemadesimple.co.uk. Life Made Simple - expert physiotherapy in Guildford and Surrey.