Postural related back and neck pain complaints are increasing every year. This is largely due to the huge amount of time we spend looking down at our phones, laptops and computer screens. The current restrictions due to Covid-19 mean a lot of people have been working from home at makeshift desks which are not set up with the correct ergonomics. To maintain a healthy spine, we need to know what to stretch and how to stretch to improve spinal flexibility and reduce these aches, pains and injuries that people are presenting with due to poor posture and prolonged hours of desk work.
Many people don’t know how to stretch correctly. At either end of every muscle in the body there are receptors called golgi tendon organs (GTO’s) that respond to tension changes in muscles. When we stretch, the GTO’s are activated at about 7 seconds which means it is recognizing the stretch and allows the muscle to relax and lengthen. It is for this reason we need to stretch for longer than 7 seconds because the stretch only really starts at that point. To increase the muscle length, we recommend holding each stretch for different amounts of time, depending on the muscle group and repeat the stretches for 7-10 reps in order to achieve an increase in flexibility and decrease in pain.
Book in for a sports therapy treatment at Rebound Injury Clinic where we can treat postural dysfunction and teach you the best stretches to maintain pain free posture. Call us on 0899585213 or book online at www.reboundinjuryclinic.ie.
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