WFH and Reduced Hip Mobility
Since March of 2020, a multitude of people have had their work environments change, with most adjusting to working from home. This has caused a reduction in everyday activities with less getting up and moving around the office all day. Many patients have noticed a large shift in aches and pains, especially hip pain, and flexibility.
Sitting all day long causes the hips to be flexed or bent for extended periods of time; causing large muscle groups, including the hip flexors, to be put in a shortened position. This not only causes pain in the front of the hip region, but also creates a domino effect of aches and pains elsewhere in the body. The domino effect may also cause pain in the patients’ outer hip region and low back.
How do you not only reduce this problem, but also prevent this from happening again?
As physical therapists love to remind patients, motion is lotion! The best way to keep your body mobile is by, well, moving! When in the office it is much easier to move around, like further walks to the bathroom, to your boss’s office, or to get water. But at home, most everything you need is usually close by. Here’s how you can keep your body moving throughout the day….
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- Move every 45-60 minutes. It is understandable that it might be impossible to move all day long when work must be done, but standing up every hour and getting the hips extended (or all the way straight) will help reduce pain.
- Begin and end your workday with a few mobility stretches/movements. The best way to prepare the body for the day is to wake up the muscles with light stretching and moving the joints in all planes of motion.
- Check your work-from-home setup, or if returning to the office, use this as a great opportunity to check your work area, to ensure it is in the best ergonomic conditions for you. The most optimal format is having both feet on the floor, knees in lines with your hips, and screen positioned at eye-level, so your body is in the proper position for reduction of long term pain.
Reduced hip mobility can affect your athletic training or exercises by causing you to use incorrect form such as with squats and lunges. If you are ready to reduce your hip pain and reduce risk of further injury, check out our Instagram for more stretches and exercises or call us to schedule an appointment!