233 Auburn Rd, Hawthorn Vic 3122

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Desk work – how can I make it easier on my body?

by | Jan 29, 2018 | Advice

Many of you will be returning to work after a well earned break over the Christmas/New Year period and, aside from the obvious frustrations about being stuck at your desk all day, your body may well be reminding you of how much better you felt away from work. The body was not designed to sit at a desk for eight or so hours a day and a large percentage of our patients are with us as a consequence of poor posture, bad desk setups and long periods of time chained to the desk.  Dr Nick Brasher, osteopath, runs us through some ideas as to how we can stretch at our desk to help improve a day at work.

 

So what can you do? Well, unless you win Tattslotto tomorrow, work isn’t going anywhere soon, so it’s a question of what you can do to adapt your work situation to make it easier for your body. Regular breaks, increased lumbar support and staying front on to your monitor are examples of simple changes we can make that can help. Desk and chair setup is crucial and is something you should discuss in more detail with your Osteopath depending on your individual requirements and situation.

 

In addition to this, we’ve put together a quick selection of exercises you can do in the comfort of your office at regular intervals without distracting you from your work or attracting the gaze of your colleagues too much.

• Shoulder Shrugs

Sitting, arms by your side, shrug your shoulders forward five times and then backwards five times. This gets the whole shoulder girdle moving and works the trapezius muscle, which may find itself in a constant state of tension when sitting with poor posture.

 

• Shoulder blade squeeze

Sitting upright, arms at your side. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, as if you were trying to grip something between them by pulling your shoulders backwards. Do so as far as is comfortable without pain. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat five times.

 

• Cervical retractions

Sitting upright, pull your chin in towards your chest (as if to give yourself a “double chin”) until you feel an easy stretch at the base of the skull (without pain). Keep the head centred and facing forward. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat five times.

 

• Cervical rotations

Sitting upright, turn your head to look over one shoulder until you feel a slight, pain free stretch. Keep neck upright and don’t let it fall forward during the rotation. Repeat five times on either side.

 

• Upper back extension over the chair

Sitting upright on a chair that doesn’t extend higher than your middle back, place your hands above your neck and arch backwards over the chair looking up towards the ceiling. Only go as far back as comfortable and until you feel a light stretch, no pain. Hold for 3-5 seconds and repeat five times.

 

• Upper back rotation

Begin sitting with your back straight side on to the back of the chair. Place your hands on either side of the back of the chair and rotate in that direction, keeping your legs and back straight. Hold for 3-5 seconds and repeat five times.

 

• Lower back extension (standing)

Standing at your desk, feet shoulder width apart with back straight, hands on hips. Gently arch backwards without pain and then return to the upright. Repeat 5 times.

 

The crucial thing about all of these exercises is to do them within a pain free range and that you should be feeling a light stretch rather than a pull. Pain on stretching is an indicator that you’ve gone too far. You may find that some of these are not appropriate for your condition so if you have any queries please just speak to your Osteopath.

 

They won’t make your work any easier or the pressure from the boss any less but they will make you more comfortable in your work place which can’t be a bad thing.

Correct Lifting

by | Jan 29, 2018 | Advice

Whether it’s moving house or just shifting the couch to the other side of the room awkward or heavy lifts are difficult to avoid in day to day life. Injuries from lifting incidents account for a large number of the acute pain patients we see, so how do we tackle all this without hurting ourselves?  Dr Nick Brasher, osteopath, takes us through some handy hints to make moving and lifting easier on the body.

 

To understand how to lift correctly it is important to understand how and why incorrect techniques can hurt the body. We all know that it’s bad to slump when sitting down and a similar principle applies here. Lifting objects with a rounded or slumped back has been found to increase the pressure in the discs of the spine to a much higher level. The number one reason for this is that once you take the body forward from a “neutral” position and the centre of gravity moves forward, you begin to lose the additional structural support that comes from the joints of the spine, pelvis, the spinal ligaments and the muscles of the lower back. Instead, the majority of force is then placed through the disc and the spinal segment, leaving it dangerously susceptible to strain.

• Avoid lifting heavy objects on your own, especially those that are awkward shapes or greater than 20kg in weight;

• Ensure you have firm footing and stand with your feet spaced and close to the object;

• If you are lifting something from ground level, keep your back straight and bend at the knees and hips. Do not bend forward at the waist with the knees straight;

• On rising, tighten your glutes and lift the object with the muscles of the leg, straightening your knees in a steady, smooth motion;

• Don’t twist. Stand upright and front on to the object, moving the feet rather than twisting the torso;

• Hold the object close to the body with the arms bent. Take small steps and move slowly;

• Follow the same principles when lowering the object. This is just as important as the lift itself.

 

It’s also important to consider whether the lift needs to occur in the first place, or whether there is a way to make it easier. Is there a trolley or someone to help you? Can the object be broken into smaller portions? Is the pathway to where you are storing the object clear? Are you fatigued? Injury is more likely to occur when we are tired. If you are injured lifting you should consult your Osteopath to address the acute symptoms. Your Osteopath can also provide you with valuable advice on strengthening and stabilising exercises to help prevent future injuries. If you are wondering whether Osteopathy can help you or your family and friends, please don’t hesitate to contact the clinic at any time.