Post lock down aches and pains

With the clinic busy and patients returning for treatments, we have observed similarities in lots of patient’s aches and pains. Lockdown for many meant a reduction in exercise which lead to restriction in movement and mobility, for others it meant ‘over training’ which lead to similar problems! We have seen a huge increase in three groups: 

• Golfers returning to the course after a long period of missing out on those very rotational movements and therefore coming in with back pain
• Patients working from home without a good ergonomic setup, often working at the kitchen table on a laptop - sadly a large proportion of these are school age children!
• Keen gardeners making the most of the good weather and overdoing it as a result.

It's rather like seasoning, too little or too much spoils the dish, apply the right amount and et voila! 
 
It is vital that you prepare your musculoskeletal system for the task you expect it to do. For golfers this will mean loosening up tight shoulders and hips and doing core exercises prior to a game so to minimise the risk of injury and switching on the activity of the spinal stabilisers.  For lifting and bending activities, running and sitting - don’t forget that your intervertebral discs (your spinal shock absorbers) are most vulnerable the first hour after you get up. The internal pressure is higher as they are more “plumped up” - so ease into the day, wait a little until you start loading these tissues up.
 
The concept of rest breaks can be used for across the board; if you are sat down most of the day your “rest break” should be movement, walking, standing - moving away from the static loading of tissues you have built up whilst sat down. For gardening enthusiast who spend a lot of time bent forward, you need to add the opposite movement in your rest break, such as the cobra position or hook lying position. If your main exercise is sitting as in cycling - you would need your rest break to be something different, for example standing stretches or floor work.
 
The point is that whatever position you spend a lot of time in should probably not be the same position as you exercise in. So, for those who spend the whole day sitting down - rowing or cycling are probably not the best options - this way you almost “concrete in” the postural issues built up from desk work. 
 
Movement is your medicine, massage and chiropractic treatment will help speed up recovery or prepare you for the next step up in activity levels. Our sports therapist and chiropractors are experts in tailoring exercises and care to compliment your hobbies and passion.