The ‘new normal’ means different things to different people but many workplaces are now working within some kind of hybrid model after two years of mainly working from home.
While this has offered benefits such as better work-life balance for some, this way of working has also meant poorer mental health for many others. Whatever the experience, one area that seems to be true across the board is that a combination of prolonged poor posture, non-ergonomic desk set-ups, and an overall decrease in daily activity has had a detrimental impact on our bodies – especially our necks and backs.
Many of your own clients are likely to be reporting increased strain, pain and lethargy as a result so here are our top three tips to support your clients to bounce back to better overall health.
Although it seems counterintuitive for pain sufferers, moving more can make a huge difference to daily pain management and overall wellbeing. Simple exercises adapted to your clients’ abilities could include a brisk walk or a light jog – the fresh air will provide a bonus mental health boost too.
If clients are looking for a bit more support, then we have a range of low impact machines that can support them towards physical rehabilitation. Our Spirit 900 range is designed according the body’s natural movement to ensure a safe and effective workout. This range includes treadmills, elliptical trainers, recumbent and upright bikes, all of which provide a multitude of resistance and training options to suit any of your clients, no matter their ability.
Encourage your clients to change their posture regularly. Taking regular screen breaks as an opportunity to shift positions and taking advantage of workplace perks such as expensed ergonomic furniture are particularly good ways to encourage proper posture. And if they don’t have those perks? Encourage them to get creative! Laptops can be propped up on boxes for a makeshift standing desk.
Sitting for long periods of time, hunched over, in your kitchen chair is a surefire way to weaken those key muscles such as hamstrings, hip flexors and neck muscles. An easy way to tackle this is to encourage regular breaks for some muscle stretching and strengthening exercises – and it needn’t be taxing! Some simple yoga or Pilates moves from YouTube on the living room floor are a great place to start.
