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Pilates for Senior Citizens- Why?

Good Posture: head over shoulders, over hips, over knees, over ankles.

Pilates for senior citizens works wonders as it is low impact compared to other forms of exercise. It's not as severe on the joints as other types of exercise workouts.

Pilates focusses on breathing & quality-controlled movements, not repetitions.

How Pilates Works?

"Pilates stretches muscles that are tight & strengthens those that are weak to help realign your body to its natural form."

• Pilates develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind & elevates the spirit.
• Pilates is unique. It systematically exercises all the muscle groups in the body, the weak as well as the strong.
• The exercises make you stronger, flexible, & less likely to fall because they re-educate your body to use all of your muscles, not just the superficial ones.
• By strengthening both your large muscles & the deep, smaller endurance muscles that are responsible for your strength, they take the strain off the larger muscles & give them added support.
• Concentration & correct breathing are added to exercise for the older adult that can teach you to recruit the smaller, supportive muscles.

With Pilates exercise for senior citizens the center of your body needs to be your focus (core).

This is the place from which all movement begins & proceeds to the extremities- the whole body working together.

Every movement and exercise for seniors, especially walking, should be started by first contracting the core of the body.


Bottom line: less pain, greater range of motion, and fewer falls.


DISCLAIMER: Always talk to your health care provider before starting an exercise program.

Ergonomics While Driving

Driving can mean different for different people. It may be a way of leisure for some or as an everyday activity to commute to office using their car or as an occupation to drive those heavy duty vehicles on highways for transport. Be it any reason, driving for long time has always accompanied with some or the other musculoskeletal problems. The problem is treated but the root cause of it is never looked after or we just dont bother about it much.


So, what you think is Sitting in car same as sitting on a chair?
No, its not! because both the activities are different. When you are driving your hands, arm are higher than when you work at desk, also to operate brakes and /or accelerator you need to extend your legs more and again the vibrations are accompanied because of the vehicles or bumpy roads.
Driving does lead to lot of RSI (Repetitive stress injuries)  these include foot cramps, back ache, stiff neck. sore shoulders.


Why we get the pain or associated problems when we drive for long time?
When we sit our pelvis rolls backward and curve of the back flattens out.This increases the pressure in the discs of spine. In this position the discs are less prepared to bear the vibrations. Ligaments are also stretched and slacken if you sit down for long time. After standing up, they still remain slack for a while and cannot support the spine well.

If the seat is not correct it can develop pressure points in buttocks, back of legs and muscle strain in low back. Continuous back and neck muscle work is often required to hold the head position which again leads to strain. Holding foot pedal down over long period may cause stiffness and spasm of legs n low back.
If you are driving heavy duty vehicles like trucks, buses then the whole body vibration stimulates burst of activity which later causes easy muscle fatigue. Also long term exposure to vibration can lead to herniation of the disc in the back as increased pressure because of prolong speeding the damage speeds up.

So lets see some simple corrections which we can do to prevent the injuries:

 First and foremost stepping in and out: if you drive large vehicles with high step up or down add extra step or slow down.

1) Make sure you remove all the items from your pockets such as wallet, keys etc. they may compress your tissues.
2)Position items that you may need while driving" sunglass.,tissue, etc near by.

3)If the seat belt is uncomfortable put a small foam on the area of the strap which causes discomfort.
4)Adjust the mirror so you dont have to strain your neck.
5) If the lower back is not supported by the seat, use a lumber support or a small towel roll.
6) Back tilt: least amount of pressure on back occurs when seat is at 100-110 degree reclined seat should completely support your back. If you cannot recline take frequent break from the upright posture
7)Seat cushion: it should be comfortable and support your tail bone completely. Seat tilt of car should allow knees to be slightly lower than hips this opens hip flexors and increase circulation to back and decrease pressure


8) Seat Height: You should be able to see atleast 76 mm or 3 inches over the top of steering wheel.
seat cushion length:  if possible adjust seat length so that back of your knees is about 3-6 cm from front seat.

9) Head restraint(head rest)
The head restraint should be till the top of your head, if head restrain can be tilted adjust angle until is practically touching the back of head when you are in sitting position.

10) Steering wheel grip: It is advisable to keep two hands in steering wheel except while shifting gears.Change hand posture frequently to reduce fatigue and improve circulation.


Common posture to be avoided:
The death grip, the one arm cool dude" the Wrist resting at 12 o'clock position on steering wheel and fingers flop over the top, arm straight out in front and one arm propped on your window.


Some Do's: 
1) Select a car that matches your height and suits your work.
2) Change posture as much as possible take frequent breaks recommended is atleast 15 minutes, every 2 hours
3) Place hand on steering wheels so that elbows are close to your side and not so high that you have to reach up for the wheel.
4) Place hands at 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock position this will reduce the amount of strain on shoulders and put hands in safer position.


Some Dont's: 
Avoid lifting after driving long hours because your muscles are tired your ligaments are stretched and disc are at risk of injury, give yourself some time to stretch and relax.

The longest journey begins with a single step towards fitness, not with a turn of the ignition key !!!!

Ergonomics in Pregnancy

With many women working today, it is important to understand how pregnancy can affect workplace safety.
Pregnancy alters the body's shape & thus, the interaction with the worksite. The abdomen becomes increasingly larger, causing progressive postural problems, backache, & impairment of dexterity, agility, coordination & balance. Hormonal changes affect the ligaments, increasing the likelihood of injury. Joints in the spine become less stable & show signs of separation & movement to accommodate the growing fetus. 
Following simple steps to adjust your computer workstation that suit your body and its changing needs in your pregnancy will greatly improve the way you feel at the end of the day.

Ergonomic concerns that a pregnant woman experience include:
Most employers immediately consider the harmful effects of chemicals in the workplace when first notified of a pregnancy.
Less obvious, yet equally important to the pregnant employee's health & well-being, are ergonomic hazards such as awkward postures, heavy lifting, limited rest periods & repetitive force. Back pain & Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are relatively common side effects of pregnancy as well, & both may be aggravated by job tasks.
As the pregnant worker's body changes shape, new hazards related to reach, balance, lifting and repetitive motion may develop. Employers must be aware of these changes in order to continue to provide a safe, comfortable workplace.

• Sustained & repeated postures
• Pressure on hard surfaces while typing
• Improper mouse operations
• Forward head
• Leaning forward away from the back of the chair
• Bending sideways to use alternate work space
• Sliding the chair across the work surface
• Awkwardness, fatigue & tendency to lose balance become critical when quick reaction time or work on elevated surfaces is required. For example, work on platforms or the use of step stools may now present a greater hazard. 
• Standing for long.

Tips for pregnant working women:
While application of sound ergonomic principles benefits all workers, the following actions can be considered when modifying a pregnant worker's job:

• Tasks should be arranged to minimize twisting the body and stress on ligaments. For instance, a document holder placed next to the monitor reduces turning of the head and neck, protecting against straining these muscles and ligaments.
• Sitting can be more difficult than usual, as immobility can lead to pain. This is especially a problem with the added back strain pregnancy causes. Moving around during the work day is therefore critical. Standing up for quick breaks or at least switching positions can help avoid the worst of these problems.
• Limit standing time to less than three hours a day.
• Use only adjustable ergonomic chairs. Use of a lumbar cushion is particularly useful during the third trimester.
• Adjust the height of the work surface so that you can minimize the reaching distance. Women late in pregnancy may prefer a considerable lower table height than common guideline heights.
• Modify the height of the monitor and keyboard to reduce the risk of CTS. As your abdomen gets larger, you should adjust the desk according to it.
• Install foot rests (for seated and standing workers) so that one foot can be alternately raised.
• Lift only items less than 10 pounds/5 kgs if it is necessary, to keep your spine safe.
• Adjust work hours (e.g., flexible scheduling, day shift rather than night). Modify break schedule (e.g., shorter, more frequent breaks).

Pregnant workers require extra attention with respect to potential ergonomic hazards that are either created or exacerbated by pregnancy. Appropriate accommodations can prevent injuries, enhance the employee's comfort, and help her better handle the stress of work combined with the physical changes related to pregnancy.


Also Read: Benefits of Exercising in Pregnancy, Comfort in Labour, Breathing in Labour & Workstation Ergonomics