Stand up
What is a Pleazer?
- It is an active break that gives you more energy and increase your social and physical well-being.
- It is a solution made for your working day. Did you know that just one more hour of physical activity pr. week can help you reduce the short term sick leave by 29%?
The New Normal
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world as we know it around. And we have to adapt the the new situation with:
- Working from home
- More virtual meetings
- Less physical and social contact
You can do Pleazers anytime anywhere to make your working day better.
Computer Back
Choose 3 or 6 quick dynamic stretching exercises to loosen up sore muscles and relieve back pain.
Functional
Before you begin:
How many
Single
Equipment
None
Time
2½ or 5 min.
Intensity
Question for reflection
Why is it important to make time to do exercises like these during your working day? (click for our answer)
Our answer:
Lower back problems are becoming more and more frequent among the working force. Actually, more than half of us will experience some degree of discomfort or pain within the next 14 days. This is probably related to many hours of sitting in the same position in front of your computer.
In “Computer Back” you activate the muscles of your back which also increases the blood flow to the working muscles. This will help them get rid of waste products and also relieve the tension building up.
The muscles of your back can move your spine in three different directions – all of which are important to activate to maintain your mobility. During the first three exercises of “Computer Back”, you have activated all directions:
- Side-side (Exercise 1 – Side stretch)
- Front-back (Exercise 2 – Rising sun)
- Vertical twist (Exercise 3 – Arm twist)
Interested in the science behind functional activities?
– Head of research Rasmus Friis explains
Why do it?
The science
By doing stretching and functional training exercises the nervous signaling to the working muscles increases. The increased signaling activates the muscles used and improves the muscular coordination between the muscles around your joints.
The improved muscular coordination and activation positively affect the stability, flexibility and mobility of the joints and muscles, thereby reducing the risks of office injuries such as neck, shoulder, back pain and mouse-related RSI (repetitive strain injury).
Research has demonstrated that two minutes of calisthenics is an efficient way to quickly increase your heart rate. Do you want to reduce weight gain or just stay in shape? Two minutes of calisthenics every hour during your workday is an easy way to do it.
Take-home message
- Studies have shown that 4 repetitions of 30 seconds stretching are the most effective if performed 3-4 times daily.
- When performing calisthenics, the greater groups of muscles and the majority of the body’s joint are activated which improves the strength and stability of the body, preventing fall injuries.
Bedtime reading if you are a nerd like us
Carter, S. E., Jones, M., & Gladwell, V. F. (2015). Energy expenditure and heart rate response to breaking up sedentary time with three different physical activity interventions. Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD, pp. 503-509.
Schlumberger, A. (2011). Strength and Conditioning as a Rehabilitation Tool. In M. Cardinale, R. Newton, & K. Nosaka, Strength and Conditioning – Biological Principles and Practical Application (pp. 413-423). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Widmaier, E. P., Raff, H., & Strang, K. T. (2014). Cardiovascular Physiology. In E. P. Widmaier, H. Raff, & K. T. Strang, Vander’s Human Physiology – The Mechanisms of Body Function (pp. 363-445). New York: McGraw Hill.
Widmaier, E. P., Raff, H., & Strang, K. T. (2014). Neuronal Signaling and the Structure of the Nervous System. In E. P. Widmaier, H. Raff, & K. T. Strang, Vander’s Human Physiology – The Mechanisms of Body Function (pp. 138-190). New York: McGraw Hill.
Widmaier, E. P., Raff, H., & Strang, K. T. (2014). Respiratory Physiology. In E. P. Widmaier, H. Raff, & K. T. Strang, Vander’s Human Physiology – The Mechanisms of Body Function (pp. 446-489). New York: McGraw Hill.
This post is also available in: Danish