With the summer holidays now over parents will breathing a sigh of relief, while teachers are bracing themselves for the term ahead.
Here at Body & Mind we see a seasonal increase in the number of teachers seeking treatment during school holidays. We’ve been taking a closer look at this trend and it appears there is a common link in the type of conditions being treated. Neck, shoulder and lower back problems are present in almost all of the teaching staff we see during the course of the year.
So what it is?
The stress, hours hunched over a desk marking or the carrying of heavy bags and books? It’s likely that it is a combination of all of these lifestyle factors that contribute to a chronic shortening and tightening of the major back and shoulder muscles. Often there is an imbalance in the muscles, with one side taking most of the strain from using a mouse, carrying bags, writing on the board etc. This can in turn lead to changes in the alignment of the spine and pelvis causing knock on problems elsewhere in the body.
So what can be done?
The first step is to identify where the problem lies. Discovering which muscles are being affected and where the signs of dysfunction are is the first step to addressing the problem. Our bodies will try their best to adapt and cope with the demands we place on them, and problems can build up undetected until they reach breaking point and cause pain. Identifying the problem early and then undertaking a maintenance and prevention programme is a much better approach, allowing you to prevent more serious problems and remain pain free. Remedial Massage can be the ideal way to identify where your problem areas are, and help to start addressing the root cause. Your remedial therapist will also be able to advice you on changes you can make to your workstation, your car and general posture as well as giving you stretching exercises to ensure the muscles remain healthy.
The key to remaining pain free and preventing long term muscular problems is to become body aware. By learning about the importance of posture and correct body use and establishing what your muscles should feel like when they are relaxed you can become better as spotting the build up of tension. This is turn will help you to identify the lifestyle factors that are contributing to your problem.
Client education forms the centre piece of our work at Body & Mind. By increasing your knowledge and awareness of the importance of muscle health we hope to help you stay healthy and pain free for longer, allowing you to get on with the things you need to in life free from restriction.
