Regular stretching is as important as regular exercise and should be part of everyone’s daily routine to help maintain mobility and function, especially those in physically demanding jobs. A group stretching routine implemented in the workplace can have great benefits for the employees and can be a great way to start the workday. These are important consideration when trying to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). 

What are MSDs?

MSDs are injuries and disorders that affect the musculoskeletal system, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and nerves. MSDs can include repetitive strain injury, cumulative trauma disorder, overuse injury, musculoskeletal injury, and sprains or strains. Many body parts can be affected by MSDs. The back is the most common, but the shoulders, neck, elbows, hands and wrists are also frequently involved.

Common symptoms of MSDs include pain, swelling and tenderness, reduced range of motion, stiffness, and tingling and/or numbness.

Why worry about work-related injuries?

Many employees are exposed to risk factors and hazards on the job that may increase their risk of sustaining a work-related injury, specifically a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). In fact, MSDs are the most common type of workplace injury in Canada.  MSDs can affect all aspects of a worker’s life (pain and suffering, lost wages, long-term disability, family burden, inability to participate in leisure activities, etc.) and they are costly for workplaces (compensation costs, lost productivity, etc.). Employers and employees alike should be concerned and engaged in minimizing workplace injuries. A stretching program is an excellent addition to a comprehensive wellness and injury prevention program to achieve this. At Horizon OHS we can create a stretching/warm-up program specific to your organization’s job demands.

Benefits of a Pre-Work Stretching Routine:

• Improves flexibility – lengthening the muscles will increase range of motion and mobility of the joints
• Improves energy level – a few minutes of stretching will ‘wake up’ the body and mind
• Improves blood circulation - increasing oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and joints
• Decreases pain – increasing mobility will help to decrease stiffness and pain
• Improves posture – lengthening tight muscles that pull body structures out of normal alignment (for example, shoulders rolled forward due to tight chest muscles) will improve posture
• Reduces stress – calming the mind and providing a mental break
• Decreases risk of injury – warming up the muscles to prepare for the work to be performed throughout the day, as well as being mindful of, and bringing awareness to workplace safety
• Improves workplace morale and employee bonding – participating in a stretching routine as a group is a great team building activity and can help employees to motivate each other.

The good news is that these benefits can be realized by incorporating an effective daily stretching routine that only takes 5-10 minutes to complete before beginning the workday!

To kick-start your stretching routine at your workplace, download our pre-shift warm-up guide! For more information on how Horizon OHS can help your workplace reduce absenteeism rates contact us today.