Would it feel awkward or embarrassed if you were discovered doing jumping jacks at work? We hope not, and we believe that many successful businesses would applaud the effort!
It’s becoming increasingly well recognized that remaining physically active during the workday is beneficial, not only to your health but also to your productivity. It can also help with overall job satisfaction, happiness, and improved mental health.
Even if you work at a desk, there are many simple things you can do to get up and move about more frequently. Check out these five suggestions from our physical therapists—suggestions we use ourselves!
If you are living with a pain condition that keeps you from performing these, be sure to call Power In Motion today to schedule an appointment!
5 ways to get more exercise in at work
Here are five awesome tips you can begin utilizing right away in your workplace to increase your physical activity and improve your overall health and wellbeing.
- We know it’s tempting to just work through lunch. But if you take even just five minutes to get up and move mid-day, you’ll be staving off health risks associated with excessive sitting and you may very well find yourself with way more energy.
- Do you love your lunch breaks? Sit down and enjoy your meal, but when you’re done eating, use the remaining time to go for a walk around the building or even climb a few flights of stairs.
- Schedule time to get up and move. Getting into the flow at work is a great feeling—but you don’t want to look up from your desk and see that one, two, three or more hours have gone by since you’ve gotten up from your desk! So, set a timer on your watch or phone to go off once per hour (or at least be more mindful of the clock) and use these breaks to stand up, go for a short walk, or do some simple stretches and exercises.
- Change the way your desk is set up. Is there a way for you to install an adjustable sit to stand desk in your office? You may not even have to replace the whole desk—these days it’s easy to find high quality and affordable portable options online or in retail stores.
- You can also consult with a physical therapist to ensure the ergonomic set-up is ideal, so you can minimize any strain on your neck, back, shoulders, hands, and hips during the time you do spend sitting.
- Be the messenger instead of using a messaging system. Instead of sending an email or text to your colleague down the hall, why not walk down and deliver the message in person? You can also take business calls while walking outside.
- Hydrate. Drinking more water throughout the day can improve mental clarity and support healthy joints and connective tissues. Plus, if you keep a glass or stainless steel bottle of water on hand, you’ll find yourself having to get up more often simply to refill the bottle or relieve yourself.
Physical therapy can help you get active and stay that way!
The expression “sitting is the new smoking” was coined for a purpose. Excessive sedentary activity and sitting for long periods of time (e.g., 7 or more hours per day) have been associated with an elevated risk of potentially life-altering illnesses such as heart disease, obesity, and chronic back pain.
People often spend their life with a long commute to work, sitting at a desk all day, and then at home watching T.V. all night.
An inactive lifestyle has the following effects on your body:
- You burn fewer calories which makes you more likely to gain weight.
- You lose muscle strength and endurance.
- Your joints become stiffer and more prone to degenerative changes.
- Your bones may get weaker (i.e., osteopenia and osteoporosis).
- Your immune system may not work as well, making you more susceptible to illness.
- You have poorer blood circulation.
- Your body has more inflammation which makes you more susceptible to aches and pains.
This is why we invite you to visit our clinic and consult with a physical therapist. We can assist you in remaining more active at work by:
- Teaching you specific exercises and stretches that are individually tailored to your body’s needs
- Address underlying health conditions, like degenerative disc disease or sciatica, which can make both moving and sitting difficult
- Help you optimize your ergonomic environment
- Recommend specialized tools, like kinesio tape and customized orthotics, to improve your posture and enhance our other healing modalities
Call our clinic today for more information
If you’re interested in learning more information about physical therapy and how it can help improve your daily function and mobility, give us a call. Power In Motion is here to support you no matter what your condition may be!