Get a sit-to-stand desk.
If you work at a desk for a long period of time, you should highly consider getting a sit-to-stand desk. WIth the sit-to-stand desk, when you alter sitting and standing throughout the day (i.e. 30-60 minutes of each/time), your body is happier in the long-term.
Reduce your slouched posture.
Does your head come forward? Is your low back rounded a lot? You should consider reducing the amount of time you spend with these postures. Lift from your chest and notice how your head will come back with your ears over your shoulders. This will also increase the natural arch in your low back. You don’t have to hold this all the time, but could you do this a little bit more throughout the day?
Pay attention to habits more.
Do you talk on the phone with the phone to your right ear all the time? Do you always cross your left leg over your right? Are you always carrying your bag on your left side? Switch it up a little more! When you do things over and over on one side of your body, you are more prone to getting symptoms.
Strength training and cardiovascular exercise need to be done forever.
We all go through phases of being really “good” and “bad” with exercise. That is life. A family member passes, work gets really busy, or something else happens that reduces your activity levels. It is OK if you are not perfect with exercise all the time; however, you need to remember that strengthening your body and staying active in some form is something to do for life when you can.
Your mental health affects your body and your body affects your mental health.
When you are sad, do you notice that your body aches more? When you are stressed, do your shoulders always get tight? When you are happy, are you thinking about the pain in your low back or something else? Check in with your body during different moods. You will notice that you feel different things with different moods. Vice versa, when you are in a lot of pain, your mood will be affected. Can you do things during that time that make you happier? For example, calling a friend or cuddling with your pet.
What you EAT and DRINK affects your pain.
I think we all know this to some extent, but I still don’t believe that this is emphasized enough in healthcare. Sugar is inflammatory. If you have an inflammatory condition, this could make it worse. Alcohol is a depressant. If you are in a lot of pain and feeling low, alcohol will make it worse. Water lubricates your joints and can make you move better.
Your shoewear does matter.
The feet are the foundation of your body when you are standing! It’s pretty amazing to think that the human body is supported by such a small surface area (the bottom of your feet). I’m not saying that you need to wear orthotics or sneakers all the time, but if you notice that your feet hurt in your flat sandals, maybe alternate your shoe wear more often. Shoes do affect how your knees, hips, and other body parts feel.
Foam rollers, massage guns (“theraguns”), pillows, and other devices COULD help, but they are not GUARANTEED to help everyone.
Next time you see an ad on Facebook that says “fix your neck pain with this pillow”, before you buy it, stop and think about it for a second. First, do you have neck pain to begin with? Do you think your sleep affects it? There is no “perfect” pillow. Before buying a foam roller or massage gun, could you try one at PT? When ads are definitive (i.e. “Fix all your pain!”, “Buy X to get rid of your pain”), you need to be wary. It may help you, but no device is guaranteed. If there was a “fix”, everyone would be using it, right?
Pain is a normal part of living.
We all get injured. We all experience body pain. It is a normal part of living our lives. Knowing this fact could help you cope with your pain. “Misery loves company” might help in this sense. This does not mean that you cannot treat, reduce, or even completely get rid of your pain!
Don’t “PUSH through PAIN.”
You are doing an overhead lift with a shoulder injury. The shoulder injury is a 2/10 with the overhead lift. The pain is getting worse. Stop the lift and re-assess. This is not making it better. It’s helpful to know “good pain” (pain from muscles that were worked out) and “bad pain” (the shoulder JOINT or INJURY pain in this example). When joint and injury pain increases, you are likely not “working it out,” but making it potentially last longer.