pain prevention

You don’t have to be in pain

Have you ever taken a road trip and then, when you finally reach your destination, your body screams at you when you get out of the car?

Like, it almost refuses to straighten up all the way and let you walk like a normal human being? You make that “ohhhhhdeargod” sound as you rise up slowly. Don’t look at me that way I know it’s happened to you, too!

Your hips and back feel locked up … and you end up shuffling like Frankenstein across the parking lot before you can move freely again?

The same thing can happen if you sit all day at work. Except not only do your hips and back feel locked, but also your shoulders and neck. And legs.

If this is something that happens on a regular basis, it can land you in a no-win cycle of aches & pains and maybe even injury.

It goes something like this:
●     You get aches & pains because your muscles are tight and weak from not moving.

●     So you end up moving even less, because you have aches & pains. 

This makes you even tighter and weaker, creating more pain which results in less movement, and the spiral continues. Pretty soon you’re circling the drain.

The good news is that there are some SIMPLE things you can do to break the cycle (and even avoid it in the first place).

Here are a few quick ways to minimize or avoid the pain/injury cycle:
●     Move! Every hour stand up and move around for a few minutes. Set a timer to make this happen. If you’re on a road trip, take a little walk during rest stops.Try using a Pomodoro timer to help you out!

●     Roll. Use a foam roller to loosen up tight spots. Gently roll any trouble spots to help break up knots. Joe did a foam roller workshop a few weeks ago but if you missed it, here’s an e-book you can download to help you learn how to use a foam roller!
●     Stretch. Your hip flexors can get super tight when you sit a lot. This can cause a chain reaction in your other muscles, making them get tighter or weaker. Keeping them flexible now can help you avoid injury in the future. Check out this “deskercise” routine that’s filled with stretches you can do while sitting: www.healthline.com/health/deskercise
●     Be more active. When you’re not sitting, find ways to incorporate movement into your daily routine. Exercise, take regular walks, take the stairs, park farther away, and find excuses to move! Not only will this give those tight muscles a break, it will help keep your metabolism revved!

Try doing these 4 things every day for one week and you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel!

If you need help with injury prevention and mobility submit the form below and we will reach out to you!

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Jonathan Aluzas is co-owner of Arena Fitness, a fitness center that offers group training in Encino as well as personal training in Northridge.