Physical Activity
Stretch During Work
Posted on June 29, 2021 by Rebecca Seto-Leung
Time to step away from your desk; your work will be there when you get back. Stand with your feet hip width apart, clasp your hands behind you and bring your knuckles down to the floor. Open up the chest and take an inhale in and long exhale out. Bring your arms overhead to stretch triceps, it’s an old school stretch but a good one, hold for 30 seconds then switch to the other side. Last stretch, bring your hands to the top of your shoulders and gently twist to the right and then to the left. Should a registered massage therapy treatment for your back, shoulders, neck and arms sound good to you, you know where to find us at ruperthealth.com
Plank Pose
Posted on June 18, 2021 by Rebecca Seto-Leung
Rupert Health has taken the 2-minute plank challenge. Our office assistant, George, was able to plank for exactly 2 minutes. Our registered massage therapist, Rebecca, clocked in at 4 minutes, 11 seconds. The plank pose is well known to be helpful in strengthening the core muscles. Other benefits include strengthening the shoulders and decreasing discomfort in your lower back muscles. You can start off your plank pose slowly and gradually build up strength by adding 15-30 seconds to your plank over time. Try out the 2-minute plank challenge, let us know how you do! Visit us at ruperthealth.com
Yoga Pose
Posted on June 16, 2021 by Rebecca Seto-Leung
Did you know that cat cow poses and Child’s pose can help stretch out your lower back? Stretching can help improve flexibility and lengthen the muscles that have been shortened over time. Strengthening the core muscles with plank poses and mini crunches along with glutes bridges can also help. Does a registered massage therapy treatment to relieve tension in the lower back sound good to you? We’re here to support you! Book in with us at ruperthealth.com
Relaxation during work
Posted on June 11, 2021 by Rebecca Seto-Leung
Time to step away from your desk, your work will be there when you get back. Stand with your feet hip width apart, bring your hands together behind you, put one thumb on top of the other and bring your shoulders back and down. Take an inhale in and a long exhales out, relax your shoulders down. Twice more, big inhale in and long exhale out. Switch hands and use other thumb this time, bring your shoulders back and down. Again, with two deep inhales in and long exhales out. Feel free to add slow neck circles, nodding “yes” then “no”. Does a registered massage therapy treatment focusing on your middle of the back, shoulders, arms and neck with strengthening to retract your shoulders back sound good to you? Your appointment is ready for you at ruperthealth.com
Type of Rest that Every Person Needs
Posted on June 9, 2021 by Rebecca Seto-Leung
A recent TED Talk discusses the “7 types of rest that every person needs.” The first type, physical rest can be active or passive. Passive rest is achieved by sleeping and napping while active rest obtained by ways including yoga, stretching and massage therapy. Yoga and stretching may improve one’s flexibility while massage therapy has been shown to improve one’s circulation, decrease blood pressure and reduce heart rate. Is getting more rest your self-care goal for the New Year? We’re here to support you, book your registered massage therapy appointment at ruperthealth.com
Mindfulness and Stress Reduction
Posted on December 27, 2020 by admin
The physical results of stress:
Stress can have a negative impact on our physical health and cause things such as headaches, stiffness, muscle aches, and pains. Additionally, tight muscles can lead to posture issues and poor sleep, which can end up creating more stress.
To avoid stress affecting your physical health, make sure to always adjust your posture especially at times when you are feeling stressed. Having improper posture frequently can lead to problems with your back and spine overtime. If you are clenched up and feeling stressed, check your posture and adjust your posture so that you are sitting up tall and straight. To make sure you are maintaining a straight back position, it is best to sit on a chair with back support or have your back against a wall.
The importance of mindfulness:
Mindfulness meditation is a common technique used to combat stress, anxiety, chronic pain, depression, and headaches. Add mindfulness to your everyday routine; even as little as 10 minutes can make a big difference in our overall sense of well-being. Meditation is easy to implement to anyone’s lifestyle, as it is a cost saving practice that involves low physical and emotional risk and has the potential to empower people to be more actively engaged in their mental health.
Some significant health benefits of mindfulness are insignificant improvements in pain, anxiety, overall well-being, and the ability to participate in daily activities. Incorporating mindfulness frequently has also been found to improve your overall mood and reduce stress.
Ways to practice mindfulness:
Workspace Ergonomics
Posted on December 2, 2020 by admin
What is Ergonomics?
Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to workers’ capabilities. For example, the size data of human bodies to design chairs, tables, and walkways. While many people are adjusting to working from home, it is important to create an environment that is ergonomically friendly, especially for those who are sitting at a desk for long periods of time. Creating a proper ergonomic workspace is crucial to keep you comfortable at work and can prevent injuries from occurring overtime.
Creating the Perfect Ergonomic Workspace
Consider following these tips when creating a suitable workspace:
1. Choosing the right chair
- Adjust your chair’s height to make sure that your feet rest flat on the ground. Make sure that your hips, feet and elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Use a footrest to support your feet if needed. Armrests of your chair should be adjusted so that your arms can rest on them with ease, ensuring that your neck and shoulders are relaxed downwards.
2. Adjusting your desk and monitor height
- Position your computer monitor to the height of your eye level and at least an arm’s length away to reduce any strain on your neck or eyes. A good height would mean you shouldn’t have to hunch over or tilt your head up to see the computer screen. If you are using a laptop, adjust the height by using a laptop stand when typing to reduce strain and tension.
3. Organizing your desk space
- Keep frequently used tools within close proximity to minimize reaching. For instance, keep your keyboard mouse, pen and notepad, and telephone nearby to avoid repeatedly twisting to reach for these things. Make sure that there is clearance under your desk for your knees, thighs, and feet and try to not store items under your desk.
4. Having good posture
- To reduce strain, ensure your shoulders are relaxed and placed back. Align your head with your shoulders, and keep your hands at or below elbow level. Continue to be aware of your head position and posture throughout the day, as we often forget about our posture from concentrating on the computer too long.
5. Taking regular breaks and stretching
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: After every 20 minutes of looking at your computer screen, give your eyes a 20 second break by looking at something else that is at least 20 feet away. Sitting at a desk for long periods of time can cause tight muscles and long-time compromise for pain in your back and neck. It’s crucial to remember to take stretching breaks every 30 minutes to relieve some tension and avoid pain overtime. Below are some stretches you can follow. Alongside with stretching, take a few minutes to go on a short walk to get your body moving and reduce eyestrain from starring at a computer for a long time.
Resistance Training
Posted on May 7, 2020 by admin
Resistance training, also known as strength training, is a form of exercise that improves muscular strength and endurance. During a resistance training workout, you move your limbs against resistance provided by your body weight, gravity, bands, weighted bars or dumbbells. Resistance training is recommended to be exercised 2 times in a week. Exercises should be individualized depending on the individual’s knowledge on how to do specific exercises. Kinesiologists specialize in designing exercise programs for patients that need help overcoming chronic injuries and pain.
Types of Resistance Training:
- Calisthenics – Consists of a variety of movements that exercise large muscle groups, including push ups, sit ups, and running
- Weights – Strength training tools such as free weights, machines, kettle-bells, cables/pulleys
Benefits of Resistance Training:
Resistance training can increase tensile strength of connective tissues – helping to strengthen tendons, muscle, and ligaments. It allows tissue to generate more tension and which makes them more resistant to injury. Strength exercises can contribute to optimal performance in daily activities, as it improves posture, encourages weight loss and maintenance, and lowers injury risk. Strength training also reduces the need to do more cardiovascular activities because it helps control blood sugar.
This type of training can also be extremely beneficial for older adults because it improves mobility and functional independence. Implementing resistance training in your physical activity can help in the long run by delaying bone diseases such as osteoporosis – a condition where bones lose their mineral content/bone density and become more vulnerable to fracture. Bone density is improved when stress is put on bones by doing resistance exercises.
Guidelines for Resistance Training:
- Do exercises that involve all major muscle groups (chest, shoulders, back, hips, abdomen, arms)
- To improve good posture, select exercises that strengthen the trunk (abdomen)
- Never lift heavy weights alone (have a spotter)
- Warm up prior to high intensity exercises
- Use proper lifting techniques to prevent musculoskeletal injuries
- Exercise larger muscle groups before smaller ones (Ex. exercise legs before arms)
Patellar Tendonitis
Posted on January 9, 2020 by admin
Patellar tendonitis, also known as jumper’s knee, is the inflammation of the patellar tendon, which connects your knee cap to your shin bone. This condition can weaken the connective tissue and can possibly lead to tears in your tendon. Possible causes of the inflammation of the patellar tendon include practicing repetitive movements, overusing the tendon or adding too much pressure to your tendon repeatedly.
Knee pain is one of the most common symptoms of patellar tendonitis. If you feel pain especially when jumping, running, stretching and bending your leg; tenderness or swelling at the lower part of your knee cap, it is likely that your patellar tendon is inflame. Some symptoms resemble other medical condition, X-ray is one of the best ways to diagnose patellar tendonitis.
Once diagnosed for patellar tendonitis, it is important to stop the activities that caused the problem until fully recovered. Other treatments such as applying ice packs to your knees helps reduce inflammation, and shockwave therapy speeds up the healing process.
High- and Low-Impact Activities
Posted on September 20, 2018 by admin
We can avoid and manage musculoskeletal injuries by being physically active. For instance, we can participate in high- and low-impact activities.
High-impact activities are more intense and use more energy. They can strengthen our heart and lungs, help burn more calories, improve bone density, and improve our stability, balance, and coordination. However, there is a greater chance of getting the ankle, knee, hip, or back injured if an individual is not prepared. Therefore, it is important to warm up first before beginning any high-impact exercises. Examples of high-impact exercises include jumping rope, plyometric exercises, running, and jogging.
Low-impact exercises are less intense and less jarring on our body and joints. Beginners, people who have arthritis or osteoporosis, older adults, and people with bone, joint, or connective tissue injuries should do low-impact exercises. For example, working out on an elliptical machine, walking, cycling, swimming, and dancing.