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Body MechanicsArticles by: nbodymechanics

Plantar Fasciitis – what is it and how to improve recovery

Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of the fascia, or connective tissue, running along the sole of your foot, from your heel to your toes. The plantar fascia is a thick connective band which acts as both a support and a shock absorber in the foot. Plantar fasciitis is generally caused by repetitive stress and tension being placed upon the foot, through general wear and tear, straining/overstretching or injuring the fascia and/or foot. You are more susceptible to developing plantar fasciitis if you:

  • Are aged between 40-60
  • Are overweight
  • Have high arches, flat feet or an atypical gait pattern
  • Wear inappropriate footwear, without proper support or cushioning
  • Have started doing increased levels of activity and/or standing
  • Do activity on hard floor surfaces

Common Symptoms:

  • Pain, particularly in the heel or arch of your foot
  • Localised inflammation and swelling
  • Tightness in your calf muscle and/or heel
  • Reduction in mobility and flexibility - tightness and stiffness throughout foot and sometimes ankle, difficulty in lifting toes off the floor
  • Symptoms feel worse when walking after a period of inactivity, such as sleeping or sitting still
  • Reduction or dissipation of pain during exercise, which returns once you have rested

Corrective Action

Avoid the following activities which will likely exacerbate your symptoms:

  • Exercising, standing or generally being active for longer periods of time
  • Wearing footwear which is high, tight, pointed or lacks the correct support
  • Walking on hard surfaces without wearing cushioned and/or supported footwear

Use a combination of the below to help relieve your symptoms:

Cold Therapy - a cold gel or cold pack can be used on the localised area to reduce any present inflammation

Heat Therapy - a heat lotion, gel or pack can be used on tight calf muscles to help to relax muscles

Appropriate Footwear - wear footwear which offers a suitable amount of cushioning and support, particularly around the heels and the arches of the feet. Please consult a podiatrist prior to selecting orthotics and foot supports.

Painkillers - over the counter medicines like ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory) and paracetamol (compound analgesic/painkiller) can help reduce pain and increase comfort in the short term and as a temporary measure. Only take ibuprofen 48 hours after injury/symptoms.

Physical Therapy - Podiatrists, Physiotherapists and Sports Massage Therapists will all be able to help treat plantar fasciitis

Strengthening Exercises and Stretches

There are 3 key exercises and stretches which can help improve your recovery results, by gradually increasing the flexibility and reducing the tightness of the plantar fascia and calf muscles. They can be carried out in the order of your choice:

1. Foot Stretches -

  • Roller Ball - slowly and gently roll your foot over a plantar massage ball to help loosen fascia and reduce tightness. Do not push down too hard. Repeat for 1-10 minutes depending on the severity of the plantar fasciitis. This can be performed several times a day.
  • Toe Flexion - using your hand, gently pull your toes back towards your body, in order to create a stretch along the sole of your foot. Repeat as desired.

2. Leg Stretches -

  • Standing Gastrocnemius - place your hands on a wall, your arms extended out in front of you and your feet hip distance apart. Keeping both feet in contact with the ground, extend your sore foot/leg behind you. Gently lean forward towards the wall and feel the stretch in your lower leg. Hold for at least 20 seconds and repeat as desired. Do not overwork your leg.
  • Standing Soleus - place your hands on a wall, your arms extended out in front of you and your feet hip distance apart. Keeping both feet in contact with the ground, extend your sore foot/leg behind you. Gently push your knees towards the wall to feel the stretch in your lower leg. Hold for at least 20 seconds and repeat as desired. Do not overwork your leg.

3. Massage -

  • Foot - gently massage your entire foot working from your heel to your toes. Pay particular attention to your heels and arches.
  • Calf Muscles - massage your calf muscles upwards from your ankle to the back of your knee. Start gently, repeat the process, each time increasing the pressure slightly. To work into the muscles more deeply, flex and extend your toes whilst massaging, to help reduce tension and tightness.

Strengthening

Sometimes discomfort and pain are caused by muscle weakness and changes in posture. For example, we can experience ‘round shoulders’ from the pectoral muscles in our chest getting tight and short and from our rhomboids between our shoulder blades, getting overextended and weak. Health Professionals such as Sports Massage Therapists, Physiotherapists and Osteopaths will be able to provide you with a bespoke assessment of any muscle imbalances, along with any strengthening exercises.

Medical Treatment

If the above corrective action fails to work, you may need to visit your GP.

Useful Equipment

All of the below equipment is available from our Partner Providers, Physique at 10% discount using the code: BODYMECHANICS

Physique Be Confident written logo in blue and red

Please always seek medical advice before engaging in any form of treatment or rehab.

If you have any questions or feedback about this article, please send them to enquiries@bodymechanics.co.uk

Employee Retention – key considerations

The world of work has changed considerably. Covid made us all adapt and rethink how we could continue to work, which soon led to us thinking about how we want to work. People’s priorities have changed and in turn employers are now looking at how to get the balance correct between hybrid, flexi and hybrid working, whilst still being productive, profitable and true to their employer brands. New phenomena and terms like the ‘mass resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’ are frequent topics of discussion, shining a light on how it is best to retain employees and to attract new ones.

We take a look at a summary round up below:

Pay

Payment in line with responsibilities, experience, and performance is common practice. However, pay rise increases inline with cost of living is becoming a pressing concern. There are a growing number of people who work, however, their take home pay is no longer covering their day-to-day expenses, meaning they’re working in deficit, and ‘the working poor’ have been created. Whether employers can assist their employees to bridge this gap again is another budgetary and ethical dilemma being called into question. Where does the responsibility lie - the employer, the Government, or both?

In their latest collaboration, CIPD and Omni have published their Resourcing and Talent Planning Report 2022, to give practical recommendations on how employers can encourage employees to join and stay at an organisation, when pay increases become ‘exhausted as an option’. Three significant areas were identified - 1) flexible, hybrid and remote working 2) upskilling existing employees 3) increasing diversity by advertising through more varied sources

Zofia Bojorek a Senior Research Fellow at The Institute of Employment Studies emphasises that employers need to ‘ensure that work has meaning for employees’ and that our historic preoccupation with pay, simply isn’t enough. Valerie Beaulieu-James, Chief of Sales and Marketing at Adecco, reiterates this point by advising employers to avoid engaging in ‘blunt tool’ pay rises purely to retain staff and that more attention should be given to Line Manager Support

Line Manager Support

In order to retain good talent, Line Managers need to meet the requirements of both the organisation and the individual employees. Particular attention must be given to ensuring work loads, work patterns, and the work itself are fair and fulfilling, alongside good career progression, and the individual welfare of employees. Employees want to feel valued and heard by their employers, with fair performance recognition and pay. By achieving these things, employees are increasingly likely to feel engaged and loyal to the organisation they work for. Employee surveys and exit interviews have highlighted that a poor relationship between an employee and a Line Manager can result in the employee leaving their job, even if they found that job itself fulfilling.

Flexibility

Flexible working has become increasingly popular. Part-time, compressed or flexi- hours, reduced days, remote working, job shares, working from home, hybrid working, term-time working, career breaks/sabbaticals, and commissioned outcomes are all ways in which work patterns have evolved.

According to the CIPD, more action is needed to increase the uptake of flexible working where possible by employers’, as it’s believed ‘to increase inclusive, diverse and productive workplaces that suit both the needs of organisations and individuals’

Flexible working brings other benefits such as reduced overheads in terms of office space, better use of technology and potentially being able to operate more efficiently in line with customer requirements. From an employee perspective, flexible working promotes better work-life balance, job satisfaction, and overall wellbeing.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

In an interview with Employee Benefits, Asif Sadiq MBE, Senior VP, and Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, highlighted the importance of creating a sense of belonging when it comes to employee retention ‘ creating a sense of belonging helps to achieve goals and retain staff. It's not hard to create this, we just need to focus on what matters. It’s the morally right thing to do to have diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies in place, and often businesses with more diverse workforce generate more income. It can be a critical element to drive success’ Sadiq goes on to say that in doing so ‘psychological safety’ can be achieved in the workplace and any privileges should be acknowledged and used to support those not in the room for conversations, not for apologies.

Benefits

Creating a positive work environment outside of pay is an increasingly important aspect in employee retention. Giving employees tangible benefits which will enhance their lives has the potential to lead to a more stable workforce in terms of retention and attrition. Areas to consider are:

  • Holidays and Time Off - greater recognition of life events such as bereavement, miscarriage, adoption, maternity, and paternity for example
  • Flexible Working Practices
  • Pensions
  • Health and Wellbeing Services - eye care vouchers, private health care, physical, mental and financial health
  • Travel - Company car or allowance, cycle to work schemes, subsidised rail fares

Company USP

According to Gemma Bullivant, HR Coach and Consultant ‘promoting your organisation’s USP’ is vital for employee retention. ‘What makes you stand out as an organisation, why people choose to join and stay, what you are doing and how you can leverage that to be even stronger’ is an extremely powerful way to communicate what you can offer your employees. It also demonstrates a business with a clear vision and identity.

Adapting work practices to fit with societal change is essential. Continued reviews and open, collaborative discussions between employers and employees can lead to positive working relationships which are beneficial for all. It’s clear that pay is no longer the only factor that employees consider when looking to join or stay at an organisation; balance, progression, welfare, and satisfaction are all central to their decision making. Employee retention helps contribute towards an organisation’s stability and performance. Holding onto and nurturing skilled workers, developing them further, and supporting their overall wellbeing, will only lead to a productive and profitable business.

Sources

CIPD
Attracting and Keeping Talent: When Pay is Not Enough
Kristian Adams
28th September 2022

Employee Benefits FactSheet 

People Management
Majority of Workers Consider Quitting When Colleagues Resign, Research Finds
Yoana Cholteeva
3rd October 2022

Salary Alone Not Enough To Attract Talent, CIPD Report Finds
Mahalia Mayne
27th September 2022

Employee Benefits
Exclusive: Warner Bros Discover Urges Employers To Create A Sense Of Belonging To Retain Staff
Zoe Wickens
5 Oct 2022

If you have any questions or feedback about this article, please send them to enquiries@bodymechanics.co.uk

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – strengthening exercises to improve recovery results.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by pressure being placed upon the median nerve, which runs down the inner arm, through the centre of the wrist and into the hand. This can cause pain, numbness and restricted mobility. CTS is a condition that tends to worsen gradually over time and can be at its most painful at night. Whereas most cases of CTS are caused by repetitive strain, you are more likely to suffer from CTS if you are overweight, pregnant, have arthritis or diabetes, there’s a family history of CTS or if you’ve previously sustained an injury to your wrist.

Common symptoms are:

  • Site specific pain in the wrist, fingers, hand and/or arm
  • Numbness in fingers and hand
  • Tingling/pins and needles sensation in the fingers
  • Weakness in arm, hand and fingers
  • Inability or reduced ability to grip
  • Restriction in our range of movement
  • Disrupted sleep

Although CTS can take a while to recover from, with the correct stretches and strengthening exercises, the recovery period can be reduced.

Corrective Action

Reduce or stop activities that exacerbate symptoms - rest your fingers, hand, wrist, and arm as much as possible. Avoid activities which require you to bend your wrist, grip relatively hard and/or for a sustained period, or any activity that subjects your wrist to vibration.

Wear a wrist support - this doesn’t help everyone, but a wrist support may be an option to try and keep pressure off the nerve, by keeping your wrist straight. It can also act as a way to physically limit what you can do in terms of activity, thereby reducing the likelihood of any further damage

Painkillers - over the counter medicines like ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory) and paracetamol (compound analgesic/painkiller) can help reduce pain and increase comfort in the short term and as a temporary measure

Strengthening Exercises and Stretches

There are 5 key exercises and stretches which can help improve your recovery results, by gradually increasing the strength and flexibility of the flexor and extensor muscles in the hand/fingers and lower arm/wrist. Flexors decrease the angle between the bones and extensors increase the angle. It's important that these are carried out properly and without putting additional pressure through the wrist.

Please note - run through each of the 5 exercises, completing all stages in the sequence 5 to 10 times initially, increasing slowly over time, building up to 25 repetitions. Do not break each exercise down into its individual components. Perform the entire sequence, before doing another repetition to avoid straining the body unnecessarily:

1. Ball Grip - squeeze a soft physio ball, approximately the size of a tennis ball or slightly smaller, as hard as you can.

To advance this exercise, you can then bend your hand back towards the top of your arm and towards your body. It’s only a small movement and may be challenging to do.

Grip the soft physio ball again, this time bending the wrist forwards, towards your inner arm.

2. Tendon Glides - make a fist, clench, then release.

Bend the tops of your fingers over to touch the top of your palm and then extend open again.

Keep your fingers straight and fold them to a 90-degree angle to your palm. Open your hand.

Fold fingers down to the base of palm/top of the wrist. Open your hand.

3. Finger Taps - tap each of your fingers to your thumb

4. Rotations - rotate your wrist round and round, starting one way and then going the other

5. Finger Stretches - stretch your fingers away from each other, hold for a couple of seconds, then relax

Medical Treatment

If the above corrective action fails to work, you may need to visit your GP where they will conduct some tests and possibly refer you on for an ultrasound scan and/or steroid injection. In extreme cases, surgery may be required, but this isn’t particularly common.

Useful Equipment

All of the below equipment is available from our Partner Providers, Physique at 10% discount using the code: BODYMECHANICS

Physique Be Confident written logo in blue and red

Please always seek medical advice before engaging in any form of treatment or rehab.

If you have any questions or feedback about this article, please send them to enquiries@bodymechanics.co.uk

Image of back of neck with red indicating pain and hands lifted above the shoulders

Upper Back, Neck and Shoulders – ways to reduce tension and tightness

Experiencing discomfort in the upper back, neck and shoulders is incredibly common. For those of us who have our arms extended out in front of us to use a keyboard, to use our phone, to drive or to lift objects, for example, will have an increased chance of experiencing discomfort or conditions in this area of our bodies.

Although the actions causing this discomfort can vary widely, the symptoms are frequently the same and tend to be caused by overuse, or using this area of our body in a way we are not typically used to, such as holding an awkward position or overloading the muscles or joints.

Common symptoms are:

  • Tension and tightness in our muscles
  • Stiffness through our joints
  • Restriction in our range of movement
  • Compression in the spine
  • Nerve impingement
  • Changes in posture
  • Disrupted sleep patterns
  • General discomfort and pain

Corrective Action

Ergonomic Assessments - these are available through your employer and can be done in person or online. The Health and Safety Executive also have resources and checklists available:  https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/assessment.htm

Desk - It’s worth considering your overall desk set up as well as your posture - are you better suited to a sitting or standing desk? Or do you need to be able to do both? What kind of chair do you find comfortable and supportive - high back? additional supports and arm rests? Or a kneeling chair?

Vehicle - the seats in vehicles are generally poorly designed. They don’t offer any support to your neck and the lower part of the seat slants back, placing your knees higher than your hips, thereby compressing your lower spine. As your spine is a column, what happens at the bottom is reflected at the top and vice versa. Foam wedges are a good way of correcting the angle in your lower back and neck supports/cushions are available

Stretches

There are 4 key stretches which can help loosen off any tension and tightness and get quick results:

1. Chin to Chest - Simply drop your chin down to your chest and hold for a minimum of 30 seconds. Repeat as desired. Please note, let gravity do the work. Don’t actively push your head down. Let the head hang and soon your head will drop a lot further than you think, giving a nice deep stretch.

2. Ear to Shoulder - gently tilt your head to the left, keeping your shoulders down and bringing your ear down to your shoulder. Hold for a minimum of 30 seconds. Repeat as desired. Do the same on the right side. To deepen the stretch, actively extend your right arm and fingers down to the ground, pushing down. You’ll feel a deeper stretch along the right side of your neck.

3. Chin towards Shoulder - turn your head to the left, keeping your shoulders down and facing forwards, extend your chin towards your left shoulder and tilt your head downwards. Hold for a minimum of 30 seconds. Repeat as desired. Do the same on the right side.

4. Head Back - slowly tilt your head backwards and gently push the chin towards the ceiling. You’ll feel a stretch in your neck and under your chin. Hold for a minimum of 10 seconds. Repeat as desired.

Strengthening

Sometimes discomfort and pain are caused by muscle weakness and changes in posture. For example, we can experience ‘round shoulders’ from the pectoral muscles in our chest getting tight and short and from our rhomboids between our shoulder blades, getting overextended and weak. Health Professionals such as Sports Massage Therapists, Physiotherapists and Osteopaths will be able to provide you with a bespoke assessment of any muscle imbalances, along with any strengthening exercises.

Posture

Pay attention to how you hold yourself - how you sit and stand in particular - and whether you are moving enough. Are you wearing suitable shoes? Do you take regular breaks at work? Are your workouts or exercise activities moving your body in a balanced way, or are they overworking certain areas? Pilates and Yoga are great for strengthening and rebalancing your body, as well as Massage and Osteopathy.

Useful Equipment

Foam Wedge: https://putnams.co.uk/collections/sitting-wedges

Physique Be Confident written logo in blue and redAll of the below equipment is available from our Partner Providers, Physique at 10% discount using the code: BODYMECHANICS

 

Please always seek medical advice before engaging in any form of treatment or rehab.

If you have any questions or feedback about this article, please send them to enquiries@bodymechanics.co.uk

Image of a magnifying class, calculater and note pad on top of some graphs for financial wellbeing

Financial Wellbeing – 3 top tips to help keep your employees financial health and wellbeing in check

Financial wellbeing is a subject which is currently being given notable attention and with good reason. Both covid and the cost of living crisis have meant that inflation continues to rise and many people are experiencing financial pressure and uncertainty like never before. Giving people the chance to stay in control of their finances, will have a direct impact on their health and wellbeing. This is where an employer can offer support, by giving employees access to an independent financial advisor.

Here are our 3 top tips to help keep your employees financial health and wellbeing in check:

Review

What do you have in place to help an employee understand their current financial health profile and to identify any areas they'd like to change?

It’s important for employees to fully understand their financial health profile - their income, their expenditure, tax, the best bank accounts, credit cards, loans available, how to make the most of any surplus income, how to reduce any debt, how to take advantage of workplace investment schemes such as pensions, car or bike loans, share options and how to plan and budget for the short, mid and long term.

Plan

What discovery opportunities and planning tools have you made available to employees and how can they help them achieve their aspirations?

Frequently, financial health and wellbeing is hindered because people simply don’t know what they don’t know - what products and services are available to them and which ones are best for their situation. Speaking with a professional and developing a clear plan on how to move forward and achieve both financial and life goals is key. Clarity and direction removes any potential stress and overwhelm.

Action

What management tools can you offer your employees to help them put their plan into action and to keep moving forward with their financial wellbeing?

Do your employees simply need a review consultation with an independent financial advisor to keep them on track, or do they need a more involved step by step plan, identifying particular action points and management tools suitable for the short, mid and long term? Putting their chosen financial products and services into an achievable timeline, alongside regular contact points with a financial professional is essential for achieving financial, as well as overall health and wellbeing. Regular financial reviews every 6 to 12 months are recommended

Offering your employees support in a particularly challenging social and economic landscape can be simple and effective. Helping them meet the change in cost of living demands through financial education and support will not only help fulfill your duty of care as an employer, it will also help keep your employees stress free, engaged and focused.

In Summary

  • Make professional and unbiased advice accessible to employees
  • Support them in understanding their financial health and wellbeing - review, plan and action
  • Make information on any relevant workplace initiatives and schemes readily available
  • Cut the jargon - financial terminology can be complicated and confusing
  • Understand that financial health will ultimately reflect in an employees’ overall health and wellbeing and as an employer, there is a duty of care to be fulfilled

Want to support your employees financial health and wellbeing, contact Body Mechanics and take a look at our Financial Services webpagefor more information.

How to Adapt Corporate Health and Wellbeing Programmes to fit Hybrid Working

Hybrid working has required organisations to adopt a blended approach to both business management and employee wellbeing. Rethinking how best to deliver health and wellbeing programmes to your employees needn’t be overwhelming - it’s time to consult, review and to get creative!

In this short guide, we give you seven pieces of advice which are key to getting health and wellbeing right for your employees and ultimately, your business.

Ask them - send out a poll or survey to staff to get a better understanding of what their current challenges are and where they’d like support. Have their challenges changed because of Covid? Because of a change in work practices? If so, how? What are their biggest stress points in life generally - at home, at work, as an individual? To support your staff competently, you first need to understand their requirements.

Maintain Balance - try not to favour one aspect of health and wellbeing over another. Find a way to keep all services accessible and possibly look and introducing new ones where necessary.

Prioritise - planning and optimisation - Accessibility is key. Firstly, who needs your support here and now? Who is currently struggling? Your organisation holds a wealth of information about your employees, so use it to identify who NEEDS which type/s of health and wellbeing service/s, how often and how they are best to receive this support.

Next, identify those who are deemed ‘at risk’ - those who are subjected to particular occupational stresses and have an increased chance of sustaining an injury or developing a particular condition. Why wait for the worst to happen? Take a preemptive approach.

Finally, look at those who have already been identified as having a condition or injury and who are currently managing this. This allows you to adopt a preventative rather than curative approach and lets your employees know that you’re there should they need you.

Anyone who falls outside of these categories should still be able to access health and wellbeing services as and when they need them.

Prioritising and actively directing employees to relevant services enables you to reach the most vulnerable first, keeping them healthy and well and your business running as smoothly as possible. It also allows you to roll out or adapt your health and wellbeing programme in a manageable and focused manner.

Review Delivery Methods - hybrid working has undoubtedly brought about a greater reliance on technology and a greater level of autonomy to employees. So ask yourself, how can these two factors fit into your health and wellbeing programme without compromising the quality or the effectiveness of the services?

Can your services be accessed online or through an app - eg counselling sessions or fitness classes? Do they need to be face to face - eg counselling or physical therapies? Can they be in-office or at home or both - eg ergonomic desk assessments or physical therapies? Do they need to be delivered at a certain time or can they be accessed ad hoc - eg lunch and learns, webinars or Yoga classes?

A word of caution around the use of online access and apps - ensure they don’t make services feel impersonal or are perceived as a tick box exercise by your employees, as it completely undermines what you’re trying to achieve with employee health and wellbeing.

Automation - self serve - give your employees as much control as possible in order for them to access services. In doing so, it makes your employees feel empowered and they are more likely to engage with your health and wellbeing programme, as well as within the business overall. Automation greatly increases convenience, accessibility and can be extremely cost effective.

Rotation - by offering services on a rotation basis - weekly, monthly or quarterly - it ensures that accessibility is optimised. Not everyone will be in the office at the same time, nor will they necessarily be consistent with the days that they do come into the office or work from home.

If certain teams or departments have decided to adopt a regular working schedule, it's worth adding this to your databases and working in a more informed manner.

The Personal Touch - Health and wellbeing programmes are all about personalisation and accessibility. Give careful consideration to outsourcing to a provider with which you have no in-person relationship, particularly around mental health. People often like to know they can talk to a person and that they can build trust and rapport with them over time, as well as getting immediate and bespoke feedback. Employees using mental health services are most likely making themselves vulnerable and talking about sensitive issues, which is where an app falls flat. Technology doesn’t offer meaningful or insightful engagement. An impersonal one-size fits all approach to mental health, will most likely have a low uptake and will be wasted money from your budget. Online or app access for online fitness classes however is a far more suitable use of online or app access.

In summary

In order to provide a fit for purpose and best practice health and wellbeing programme, its important to get the basic foundation right. Work with what you already have in terms of services and employee data. Poll or survey your clients to better understand their needs - what services they need, how best to give them access and the most appropriate delivery methods. Health and wellbeing is all about making your employees know and feel understood and supported, so take time to ensure you get the correct balance of services and that personal connection.

If you have any questions or feedback about this article, please send them to enquiries@bodymechanics.co.uk

Image of someone with their hands on their back just above their waist with redness indicating pain

Lower Back Pain – what is the best remedial action to take

Many of you suffer from lower back pain on an on-going basis due to an injury or condition, or intermittently, due to environmental factors or functional stress. This article will give you a quick overview of the most common causes and the best remedial action to take.

Condition or Circumstance?

Firstly, it's important to differentiate if your lower back pain is due to a particular condition/injury or whether it's due to your day to day activities or function.

Let’s be honest, we don’t always respect our bodies and we sit, stand, slump and lift in ways which aren’t necessarily the best for our backs. It’s only until our body tells us there’s a problem and usually by way of some form of discomfort, pain or change in mobility, that we pay attention to our problem causing behaviours.

Circumstance

The majority of the time, if your back pain is due to poor environmental factors/functional stress, an immediate and positive change in these will always produce a relatively quick and noticeable fix, in terms of alleviating your lower back pain.

If you do any of the following, it's time to make a few changes:
 

  • Sit on the sofa with your laptop on your lap, rounding your shoulders and straining your neck
  • Sit at a table which is too high or too low, meaning strain is put on upper back, neck, shoulders and the wrists and elbows
  • Sit in a slightly rotated position at your desk, causing incorrect spinal and pelvic alignment
  • Sit on the edge of your chair, without properly supporting your back
  • Work without taking regular breaks, meaning hip flexor muscles shorten and the hips and lower back get tight

Remedial Action:

  • Sit at a designated work space with an appropriate chair, desk and computer setup, to promote good posture and comfort
  • Sit in a central position with forearms running parallel to your thighs at a 90 degree angle. Ankles are to be stacked under the knees and elbows under the shoulders.
  • Sit with your back into the chair, to give your back full support, so you won’t slump
  • Take regular breaks, even if just for a few minutes to help maintain mobility and to prevent tightness

Condition

If your lower back pain is due to a condition or injury, recovery tends to take a little longer and any changes and rehab treatments are generally more targeted and considered. You will most likely be talking to other health professionals, such as your GP or a Musculoskeletal Consultant.

There are too many potential conditions and injuries to cover here, however, we do have a series of Condition Infosheets which discuss these in more detail. Click here to find out more.

Please ensure you stay consistent with your treatment and that you engage in some form of maintenance in between those treatments. Treatments alone will not be enough to resolve your lower back pain.

Why Do We Get Back Pain?

We often find that when muscles tighten, they pull the spine, pelvis, hips and sometimes ribs out of alignment, which can cause discomfort, aches and pains. Skeletal malalignment can also be caused by day to day activities or by a specific injury or condition.

Whenever there is a pain point in the body, we treat it as the mid point and look at the areas around that mid point to assess what is going on in terms of tension, tightness and alignment.

Key muscles to pay attention to:

By keeping these muscles in particular strong and in good condition, it will help to alleviate and minimise any lower back pain

Abdominals - stomach muscles at front of torso
QL or Quadratus Lumborum - muscle in lower back connecting to pelvis, lower spine and lower ribs
Gluteal Muscles - buttocks
Erector Spinae - long thick muscles running the full length of the spine from pelvis to skull
Hamstrings - back of thigh
Quadriceps - front of thigh

Remedial Action

Keep It Strong

Do exercises that target the glutes, lower back and core to keep your back healthy

Good examples are:

  • Pilates - matt or reformer. The later is highly recommended for faster and more targeted results in core muscle strength
  • Squats - normal, deep, sumo
  • Lunges - normal, walking and runners
  • Planks - forearm or extended arm
  • Sit Ups - low crunches, full sit ups and oblique crunches
  • Light cycling and walking

 

Keep It Stable

Regular Osteopathy appointments are recommended to ensure skeletal integrity and alignment.
 

Keep It Tension Free

Regular Massage treatments will ensure tension and tightness in your muscles are reduced, easing any unnecessary pressure on your joints. At least once a month is recommended.

Using a foam roller in between massages will also help you get the most from your treatments and promote reduced muscle tension and tightness for longer.
 

Maintain Good Posture

Pay attention to how you use your body. See how you can improve your seating position, your desk setup, the equipment you use, as well as how you lift and how you stand.

Working from home has brought the working environment to the forefront and it's worth giving your working environment the appropriate attention by way of ergonomic assessments. These are something with which your employer should be able to provide you. Ask your HR or Occupational Health Department.

If this isn’t an option, click on the following link from HSE: https://www.hse.gov.uk/home-working/employer/display-screen-equipment-at-home.htm, who will talk you through a tutorial on how to ensure your working environment, equipment and posture are set up correctly.

Useful Equipment

All of the below equipment is available from our Partner Providers, Physique at 10% discount using the code: BODYMECHANICS

Physique Be Confident written logo in blue and red

To Sum Up

Lower back pain can happen for a multitude of reasons, many of which may be caused through a lack of awareness or attention. In many cases, lower back pain can be resolved by focusing on your strength, levels of tension and tightness, flexibility, stability and your overall posture as referenced above.

If you do have a particular injury or condition, it’s important to understand the cause, the symptoms, the treatment and the (on-going) maintenance required.

However your lower back pain has occurred, consistency is key!

Please always seek medical advice before engaging in any form of treatment or rehab.

If you have any questions or feedback about this article, please send them to enquiries@bodymechanics.co.uk

Corporate Gym Packages Are So Last Year

Let's Get FIIT For Work

This article first appeared as a blog on https://fiit.tv/ and is by Tom Young, Fiit

 

Let’s face the facts. Traditional corporate gym packages don’t work anymore.

No one’s using them. They’re rigid. And they’re usually structured around the office. But, who’s planning on going back five days a week? Only 2% of people. That’s who…

At Fiit, we think it’s time the corporate gym package got with the times and adapted to a hybrid, flexible way of working.

It’s time to Get Fiit for Work – the health and wellness package that works where you do.

WHAT’S FIIT FOR WORK?

Fiit for Work is our version of the corporate health and wellness package. It’s more flexible, inclusive, social, and tailored to you and your work.

So, how can you convince HR to make the swap to the #1 rated fitness platform?

Well, we’ve got all the juicy stats and persuasive arguments your People & Culture team need to sell Fiit to the powers that be.

FLEXIBILITY – AND NOT JUST ON THE MAT

The idea of hybrid working isn’t new. But now, it’s the norm.

85% of people who say they feel productive anywhere say they plan to stay at their company for a long time. This is damn good news for employee retention if employers can get it right.

And with such a strong link between companies that offer employee wellness programs and increased productivity, Fiit for Work becomes the perfect solution – giving something for everyone at home, in the gym, at work, in the park, on holiday – wherever, whenever.

GET EVERYONE INVOLVED – NOT JUST THE GYM RATS

Fiit champions diversity and inclusivity. So, no matter who you work with, we’ve got their back.

Beginner? We have classes and training plans designed to help them train safely and steadily. Advanced athlete? You know we’ll level up their training. Remote worker? Fiit works wherever – so no matter where your colleagues are, you can all train together.

Plus, Fiit works around the tightest schedules. Even if you only have a spare 10 mins, we have strength, cardio, yoga, and pilates classes to keep your mind and body in check.

COMMUNITY IS CULTURE

Work drinks. Awaydays. Daily coffee club. Culture exists when we’re together.

In the hybrid working world, fostering relationships through exercise, achieving something (and getting competitive), is an awesome way to build community and cultivate mental, physical, and social well-being.

Group classes. Scheduled team workouts. Company-wide challenges. Beating your CEO on the live leaderboard (my personal favourite). It’s all about connection and building healthy relationships through fitness.

MENTAL HEALTH IS PHYSICAL HEALTH

Let’s be honest – it’s been a terrible time for people’s mental health.

We’ve outlined the positive impact physical health has on the brain before – with researchers suggesting that as little as one hour a week of dynamic exercise can make a massive difference. But right now, it’s more important than ever.

“Modern neuroscience has shown that maybe the most important thing we can do for our brain — and therefore ourselves — is to be physically active.” — Dr. Anders Hansen, The Real Happy Pill

DATA-DRIVEN HEALTH

At Fiit, everything we do is backed by data. We’re a tech company after all.

Meaning (and this is something HR will go wild for) we can feedback anonymous and aggregated data to suit the needs of your company. Turning insights into bespoke company challenges, tailored group workouts or customised charitable initiatives are just a few examples.

And the data works! Just look at EY in the image on the right.

After their first 90 days, over 40% of employees had begun using Fiit – which is more than double average gym usage – and 26% of EY employees had integrated it into their weekly routines.

SO – YOU WANNA GET FIIT FOR WORK?
Click the link below to find out more and get your membership started:

Click here to get access to Fiit.

Government Review: Thriving At Work

The Stevenson/Farmer Review of Mental Health and Employers

The below information is a combined summary and quotation of the findings from both the Thriving at Work Review and the Government website www.gov.uk

Employers fulfilling their duty of care towards their employees is a broad subject with varying takes on how best to do so. One area of considerable focus has been mental health. In order to assess where organisations can do more, The UK Government has carried out an independent review as part of their Mental Health Reform initiative. Research carried out by Lord Dennis Stevenson and Paul Farmer has been published through both The Department For Work and Pensions, as well as The Department of Health and Social Care to look at mental health from an economic and social perspective.

The Study assumes the position that the correct way to view mental health is that we all have it and we fluctuate between thriving, struggling, and being ill and possibly off work

We need to move to a society where all of us become more aware of our own mental health, other people’s mental health, and how to cope with our own and other people’s mental health when it fluctuates. It is all our responsibilities to make this change and employers are perhaps able to have the greatest impact and scope to make an impact and are the focus of this review.
 

Thriving at Work sets out:

  1. What employers can do to better support all employees, including those with mental health problems to remain in and thrive through work.
  2. A detailed analysis that explores the significant cost of poor mental health to UK businesses and the economy as a whole
  3. How investing in supporting mental health at work is good for business and productivity.
  4. All employers, regardless of size or industry, should adopt 6 ‘mental health core standards’ that lay basic foundations for an approach to workplace mental health.

“ Many employers are already creating healthy, inclusive workplaces, but more needs to be done so that employers provide the support needed for employees with mental health conditions.” Prime Minister Theresa May, January 2017

10 Year Vision To Improve Mental Health In The Workplace:

  • Employees in all types of employment will have “good work”, which contributes positively to their mental health, our society and our economy.
  • Every one of us will have the knowledge, tools and confidence, to understand and look after our own mental health and the mental health of those around us.
  • All organisations, whatever their size, will be:
    • Equipped with the awareness and tools to not only address but prevent mental ill health caused or worsened by work;
    • Equipped to support individuals with a mental health condition to thrive, from recruitment and throughout the organisation;
    • Aware of how to get access to timely help to reduce sickness absence caused by mental ill health;

Its through the above that we can dramatically reduce the proportion of people with a long term mental health condition who leave employment each year and ensure that all, who can, benefit from the positive impacts of good work

This study has led us to conclude that underneath the stigma that surrounds mental health and prevents open discussion on the subject, the UK faces a significant mental health challenge at work.

  • 300,000 people with a long term mental health problem lose their jobs each year
  • Around 15% of people at work have symptoms of an existing mental health condition.

The human cost is huge, with poor mental health having an impact on the lives of many individuals and those around them. This manifests itself in a variety of ways both at work and at home, and impacts a person’s ability to manage other elements of their personal life. Then there is the ultimate human cost of loss of life through suicide.

With the help of an independent study on the cost to employers commissioned from Deloitte, we have also found:

  • There is a large annual cost to employers of between £33 billion and £42 billion
  • The cost of poor mental health to Government is between £24 billion and £27 billion
  • The cost of poor mental health to the economy at between £74 billion and £99 billion per year
  • The inescapable conclusion is that it is massively in the interest of both employers and Government to prioritise and invest far more in improving mental health.

Deloitte’s analysis of the case studies where investments have been made in improving mental health, show a consistently positive return on investment, which found that a manager mental health training programme could lead to a significant reduction in work-related sickness absence, with an associated return on investment of £9.98 for each pound spent on such training.

How Can This Vision Be Achieved?

A “mental health core standards” – a framework for a set of actions which we believe all organisations in the country are capable of implementing quickly. The 6 cores standards are:

  1. Produce, implement and communicate a mental health at work plan;
  2. Develop mental health awareness among employees;
  3. Encourage open conversations about mental health and the support available when employees are struggling;
  4. Provide employees with good working conditions and ensure they have a healthy work life balance and opportunities for development;
  5. Promote effective people management through line managers and supervisors;
  6. Routinely monitor employee mental health and wellbeing

The report also outlines a series of more ambitious ‘enhanced’ standards for employers who can and should do more to lead the way, building on the mental health core standards these are as follows:

  • Increase transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting
  • Demonstrate accountability
  • Improve the disclosure process
  • Ensure provision of tailored in-house mental health support and signposting to clinical help

Three other factors will help the implementation of these “mental health core and enhanced standards”.
 

  • Increasing employer transparency. Employer action on mental health is intrinsically measurable.
  • Calling on trade unions, industry groups, professional and regulatory bodies to help with the implementation of these standards.
  • The implementation and use of digital tools and products

The Role Of The Public Sector

The public sector, which employs 5.4 million people, has a huge opportunity to lead the way, particularly the three largest public employers: the National Health Service, Education and the Civil Service.

The Role Of Government

Government can do more to make it simple for employers, through support and online information platforms and joining up existing provisions aimed at employees and employers.
 

  • Government should consider exploring further the role of incentives and public procurement to drive implementation of the mental health core standards.
  • We also suggest Government sets clearer expectations of employers through legislation, and makes Statutory Sick Pay more flexible
  • There is a significant role for the NHS to support workplace mental health by ensuring support is accessible, high quality and fits around work.
  • Government does more to prevent and end employer practices which contravene employment and equalities legislation

Delivery And Implementation

It is clearly important this is done in a way that creates a self-sustaining and measurable change process, which survives future elections changes in personnel and is visible for future generations.

We recommend that Permanent Secretaries Chief Executives and equivalent senior leaders across the public sector, have a performance objective relating to ensuring the mental wellbeing of all employees, and accountability for adopting the ‘mental health core and enhanced standards’.

We also suggest that so as to achieve leadership across the private, public and voluntary sectors, the Prime Minister sets up a new Mental Health and Employer Leadership Council.

“ Employers have a huge positive role to play in improving the nation's mental health and it also makes perfect business sense to keep our colleagues as mentally fit and productive as possible. I particularly welcome the fact that the review suggests practical steps that large and small businesses can take to start moving forward on this vital topic.” Sir Ian Cheshire, Heads Together

CIPD: Stress In The Workplace Factsheet

Stress can affect an employee’s physical and mental health, altering their behaviour and relationships with colleagues. As a commonly cited cause of long-term absence from the workplace, its key for Managers to know how to recognise and manage the factors, that can cause work-related stress. Conducting stress risk assessments and reviewing the responsibilities and activities included in job roles are good starting points, to reduce the likelihood of stress developing.