These mobility exercises will help to open up and relieve some tightness in your upper back. These can help if you have neck pain, poor posture, mid to upper back tightness, or you sit a lot for work.
As we continue to work from home, our at home office may not be the most ideal set-up for comfort. This video series continues to provide some ways you can decrease tension in your neck as well as ways to help strengthen the muscles. You will need a ball similar to a lacrosse ball or yoga tune-up ball as well as something hard such as a metal water bottle or soup can.
These videos highlight some tips to help you decrease muscle tension while you work from home.
Foam rolling is a great way to help loosen the muscles in an area that is feeling tight. Tight hips or quads will benefit from this particular type of rolling seen in the video. Please note the regression and progressions that Phil demonstrates. We recommend starting with a low intensity method and progress if you feel you could use more pressure on the muscles.
Did You Know:
● 90% of school children wear backpacks daily
● The weight of these backpacks is of growing concern for teachers and doctors everywhere
● Some childrens’ backpacks weigh up to 46% of their body weight
● Recommendations are that backpacks weigh no more than 15% of child’s weight
● These heavy backpacks may be contributing to back pain in school aged children
What Should You Do?
- Select a backpack with a padded back. Padded backs enhance comfort, and reduce pressure on your child’s back.
- Only pack what is necessary. It is understandable to want ensure your child has everything they may need, but try to only pack what is absolutely necessary and leave the heavier items at home.
- Two strap it. Studies have shown that back pain increases when it is worn with one strap rather than two. Bonus points if the straps are padded!
- Load heavy items closest to the body. This decreases the stress of the bag on your child’s shoulders.
- Reduce time the backpack is worn. Not only is the weight of the backpack important, but the duration of time the bag is worn as well. Do your best to limit this in order to prevent back pain.
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