I will be releasing different components of my Positional Optimization at Work protocol over the next few entries. POW is a systematic approach to alleviating musculoskeletal pain associated with poor positioning in activities of daily living.
The Origin of (Wo)Man’s Pain
Since my beginnings in the fitness industry, I have searched for a missing link in my clients’ lives. The short amount of time I spent with clients in the gym was not enough to make a lasting impact on their health and fitness. Many clients came to me with pain and mobility issues that we had to mitigate before getting to our scheduled strength programming.
I became savvy about effective mobilization techniques. These techniques worked wonders short-term. My clients were grateful, but I wasn’t satisfied. Even my most diligent clients, the ones who purchased mobility tools and mobilized daily, still had chronic pain. Mobilization techniques decreased pain and gave my clients a sense of control over their symptoms but did not provide a long-term solution.
I then looked to the exercises used in my programming. I took every measure to make sure my clients’ form was spotless, hoping this would provide lasting pain relief.
Finally, I began to take a holistic approach to addressing client’s pain and mobility. I began to look at their lifestyle and daily positions. I asked my clients what positions they spent the most amount of time in, especially what their position at work looked like.
It turned out, this was the elusive missing link. I discovered that the positions one spends the most amount of time in have the biggest impact on pain, mobility, and injury potential. If movement is poor and positions are sub-optimal, no amount of mobilizing will last or resolve chronic pain.
What causes pain in your life?
Positions of daily tasks (PDT) are the leading causes of chronic pain and immobility. The reason for this is the amount of time spent in them. Many office workers are not aware of the posturally sound positions they should be in until they already have pain. Once pain is experienced, most look to surgeons or begin complicated physical therapy regimens that serve only to mask the symptoms of pain.
Positional Optimization at Work (POW) is the solution. POW reduces chronic pain and increases mobility at the source.
The POW protocol begins with body optimization, where we cover the basics of postural alignment, spinal bracing, and breathing. Many ergonomics courses only offer suggestions for new office furniture and never address an individual’s isolated position or posture. The fanciest, most expensive equipment will not help if you don’t understand the guidelines for creating a neutral spine, being in mechanically sound positions, and breathing effectively.
The next step in the POW protocol is workstation optimization. Workstation optimization covers how to set up your workstation in the optimal way for your dimensions, daily tasks, and resources. You will learn the optimal sitting and standing positions for daily tasks, and how to operate your workstation in the optimal way for reduced pain and increased mobility. Whether you have the newest ergonomic equipment or a classic office set up, the POW protocol is adaptable to your work environment.
Finally, in mobility optimization, you will learn simple and effective mobility techniques to address current pain and prevent future pain. These techniques can easily be performed daily, in the office or at home. They provide relief for common mobility and pain issues associated with sedentary jobs.
Quality movement is the first component of mobility. If movement is poor and positions are sub-optimal, no amount of mobilizing will help. Here, I will teach you how to be in the best position for everyday life. Know this: if you are out of position for repeated or long bouts you will eventually have pain. The idea is to get in a good position before pain is created. If you already have pain, you must address your position to make any mobilization techniques stick.
