Carpenters, labourers, landscapers and other Tradies (or Tradespeople) all come with a variety of different skillsets, but one thing they all have in common is their need for a well-functioning, healthy body to complete their work.
Common Issues
Lower back pain
Lower back pain is the most common complaint among tradies and service workers, followed closely by shoulder, neck, knee and ankle injuries.
Long working hours
Evidence has shown workers that averaged three to four hours of overtime a day were around 1.5 to 2 times more likely to develop certain chronic diseases.
Psychological stress
There is also the psychological stress of finding the next job with the prevalence of contractors and subcontractors in a highly competitive market.
These ailments and injuries can have a devastating impact on a person’s career, finances and family life, but some simple workplace exercises could help ease pain and reduce the number of tradies injured on the job.
Why is exercise so important?
You protect and maintain your tools, so it’s important to do the same when it comes to your body. Regular exercise is integral to Tradies for keeping your health and body in tip top shape.
The benefits of the right exercise include:
- Increase muscular endurance (ability for the muscles to resist fatigue)
- Increase aerobic and functional capacity to complete daily tasks
- Reduce the likelihood of injury (i.e. lower back pain/disc)
Completing a number of low back stretches, incorporating aerobic exercise and strength training, will assist in decreasing pain and injury reoccurrence. The appropriate exercises will assist increasing strength of the supportive structures (muscles) to enhance your functional capacity at work.
Types of exercises recommended by your exercise professional
Exercise Right recommends the following top tips for tradies:
- Exercise can also help tradies cope with the physical and mental demands of their job.
- Don’t ignore the pain, consult an allied health professional
- Make exercise, particularly stretching, part of your daily routine
- Do gentle stretches to warm up and cool down
- Give your body a break to avoid injury! When performing a repetitive physical task at work, have regular breaks to allow your body rest and recovery time.
Right professional
Consult an allied health professional
If you have suffered an injury at work, Exercise Right recommends consulting an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Accredited Exercise Scientist and a Physiotherapist. All of these professionals work together to assist in your recovery from an injury.
Downloadable Resources
