Ask the Expert - Knee Pain
In this issue’s Physiotherapy Corner local experts at Boathouse Physiotherapy focus on fitness and working from home.
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Fitness and working from home.
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With so many of us working from home for the foreseeable future, it is well worth investing time in making sure that your new ‘home office’ (which in my case has been the kitchen, the garden, the lounge and the floor of my little boy’s bedroom) is fit for purpose?
This can be challenging if you don’t have a lot of space or, as I do, occasionally have to share your office with a number of large plastic dinosaurs. To the patients I’ve seen remotely who’ve been exposed to the roar of tyrannosaurus, which sounds suspiciously like a toddler, I can only apologise.
Here are my top tips for working from home:
1. Space. Ensure you have a good desk area set up with plenty of leg-room. This will give you space to change posture and position frequently.
2. Workplace legislation still applies to those of us working from home. If you need an ergonomic chair you can request one from your employer.
3. Stretch. YouTube has a plethora of videos going through different stretches of the hip flexors, hamstrings, lumbar spine and chest muscles that have a tendency to tighten up if you’ve been sitting for long periods of time.
4. Work in different rooms if you’re able to. Sitting on the sofa with a laptop on your legs is fine for a while, but if you do it for 8 hours straight you’ll know about it! Alternate by working at a kitchen table or standing with your laptop at a kitchen counter.
5. Tomatoes! ...well, actually it’s called the Pomodoro technique which is Italian for tomato. This involves setting a timer for 25 minutes and then getting up and moving around.
6. Walkie-talkie. If you have a telephone meeting either go for a walk or simply stand up while you talk.
7. Take a moment to reconnect with your body. The singular focus of working from home can obscure other physical needs like stretching, drinking or even going to the toilet.
8. Self-massage into any areas of tightness with your thumb, a trigger point ball or a tennis ball.
9. If you’ve been seeing one of us for something take a few moments to do some of the exercises you’ve been prescribed, or email us with any questions that you might have.
10. Stay hydrated! Contrary to popular belief caffeinated drinks will still hydrate you so they count towards your daily goal.
11. Remember we are open for both face to face and remote appointments. Just call us via 0118 976 7189 if you need more help/advice.
That’s enough from me for now. I’m heading back to Jurassic Park…I mean my home office…
by Anthony Bath
The Boathouse Surgery, Whitchurch Road
Pangbourne, RG8 7DP T. 01189767189
This can be challenging if you don’t have a lot of space or, as I do, occasionally have to share your office with a number of large plastic dinosaurs. To the patients I’ve seen remotely who’ve been exposed to the roar of tyrannosaurus, which sounds suspiciously like a toddler, I can only apologise.
Here are my top tips for working from home:
1. Space. Ensure you have a good desk area set up with plenty of leg-room. This will give you space to change posture and position frequently.
2. Workplace legislation still applies to those of us working from home. If you need an ergonomic chair you can request one from your employer.
3. Stretch. YouTube has a plethora of videos going through different stretches of the hip flexors, hamstrings, lumbar spine and chest muscles that have a tendency to tighten up if you’ve been sitting for long periods of time.
4. Work in different rooms if you’re able to. Sitting on the sofa with a laptop on your legs is fine for a while, but if you do it for 8 hours straight you’ll know about it! Alternate by working at a kitchen table or standing with your laptop at a kitchen counter.
5. Tomatoes! ...well, actually it’s called the Pomodoro technique which is Italian for tomato. This involves setting a timer for 25 minutes and then getting up and moving around.
6. Walkie-talkie. If you have a telephone meeting either go for a walk or simply stand up while you talk.
7. Take a moment to reconnect with your body. The singular focus of working from home can obscure other physical needs like stretching, drinking or even going to the toilet.
8. Self-massage into any areas of tightness with your thumb, a trigger point ball or a tennis ball.
9. If you’ve been seeing one of us for something take a few moments to do some of the exercises you’ve been prescribed, or email us with any questions that you might have.
10. Stay hydrated! Contrary to popular belief caffeinated drinks will still hydrate you so they count towards your daily goal.
11. Remember we are open for both face to face and remote appointments. Just call us via 0118 976 7189 if you need more help/advice.
That’s enough from me for now. I’m heading back to Jurassic Park…I mean my home office…
by Anthony Bath
The Boathouse Surgery, Whitchurch Road
Pangbourne, RG8 7DP T. 01189767189