Manual Handling NZ - "Warm up for work"
Let’s get this blog underway…….
No one likes a long rambling introduction - so let’s try to keep this to a one-pager
Welcome to Manual Handling New Zealand’s blog “aka” Olympian and Manual Handling Specialist Richie Patterson: you can read more about me here
This blog is dedicated to tips and techniques, recent studies, and all things to help you and your staff to reduce workplace musculoskeletal injuries - sprains & strains with a little sprinkle of Health & Wellbeing on the side.
I’ll be throwing in some downloads, posters, and some virtual content for your downloading pleasure.
Well, where do we start……. “WARM UP FOR WORK”
As they say…. “Win the morning, win the day”
As an Olympic athlete readying the body for movement is essential, it prepares the muscles and neurological system to work at its best, it warms muscles, tendons, and ligaments up to become malleable and flexible, and ultimately it switches you on and focuses you on the task at hand.
It is a vital element of my training to reduce my risk of injury.
Having injury prevention front of mind for me was not only about athletic performance but also knowing the impact a significant injury could have on the quality of life in my elder years.
This can be a great way to connect injury prevention with your teams. Talking about being able to be active in your 70’s & 80’s - Playing with your kids, grandchildren, playing bowls - get your team to “buy-in” by talking about their body and how injury prevention will add to their future.
So why is a “warm-up” so overlooked in the work environment when we talk about injury prevention? - Shouldn’t it be the first place we start?
Kicking off the day with a warm-up for work serves a number of purposes:
Warms up the body (Muscles, Joints, Nervous system)
Brings teams together and allows subtle but consistent wellness/injury prevention messaging
A great start to the day leads to a more positive and productive workforce
How do we get started?
Download the warm-up for work poster here:
It is recommended to slowly introduce a warm-up for work to teams at a monthly meeting, toolbox, or weekly start-up. It’s not a run around the block, it can start by being as simple as rotating some joints and having a stretch. (We will be releasing a stretch poster download next month)
Engage with individuals that are active or passionate about wellbeing to lead the initial sessions and slowly get more of the team involved in the delivery of a “warm-up for work”
Want an external voice to kick this off? Get in touch here and I can come in and take an icebreaker to activate the initiative.
Recommendations:
2 rounds of rotations: Wrist, Elbow, Shoulder, Ankle, Knee, and Hip + a bit of marching on the spot and a hamstring stretch.
Manual Handling New Zealand - Richie Patterson
Thanks for having a read and best of luck with introducing a “Warm-up for work” with your workforce
Richie Patterson - NZ Olympian 1072
Manual Handling NZ
Coming up next month:
Stretching pre and post-work
Virtual Content Subscription - Kicks off January 2021
Monthly virtual (Video) content from me and guests (Wellness experts, Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Nutritionists) to include in your toolbox meetings, team meetings or push out via email to your national workforce - 2020 has made us realize we need to engage across different mediums (virtually) to get key messaging out to our teams - get in contact with me to see how this can benefit your business. Register you interest here