Recovery is extremely important for high-level athletes, but it is also very important for the individual who is done competing and might work at a desk all day. The human body needs time to recover, whether it is from a hard workout, a competition, or from sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours a day.
Elite athletes have everything from Omega Wave, Vasper, Normatec Recovery boots, hyperbaric chambers, dry needling, cold pools, and the list goes on. If we are not getting ready to compete on Sunday, we don’t necessarily need all these things and can follow a few simple steps to help maintain and recover.
There have been proven benefits by getting up from your chair every 30mins and doing 5mins of stretching, getting on a foam roller for 5mins 3x/wk, and 20mins on a stationary bike 3x/wk. They are all successful ways to help your body recover from the daily stresses you put on it.
If you work a lot at a desk or in front of a computer, here are two easy things you can do to re-evaluate your situation and give your body the best chance of optimal recovery:
- Check the height of your chair. Is it too low or too high? Most chairs are too low which causes flexion of the spine and tightness in hip flexors.
- Are you looking up or down, left or right at your computer screen? If so, this puts your neck in a poor position for long periods of time which can lead to pain and tension headaches.
Gravity is one of our biggest enemies when it comes to sitting and standing posture. We must constantly reinforce correct posture which allows our muscles to maintain their correct length. Poor posture results in some muscles shortening and getting tight and others lengthening and getting weak which usually results in pain.