Industrial workers, including concreters, mechanics, factory workers, and construction workers, commonly complain of back pain. Lower back pain is the most common complaint among these workers. According to a study, more than 60 per cent of industrial workers have to endure lower back pain every single day.
Industrial work, including that of concreters, requires workers to bend, lift, and push incredibly heavyweights. This can cause chronic back pain - a condition that comes with the job description but lasts well after a concreter retires.
What Causes Back Pain?
Concreters should stretch their backs multiple times a day so that they do not have to deal with intense back pain. Here are some factors that cause back pain:
- Lifting heavy weights and loads.
- Not carrying loads properly, such as carrying them with one hand or shoulder.
- Doing repetitive tasks that require longer periods of sitting, such as packing things.
- Driving to far-off places or driving over rough areas that cause jerks in the back.
- Crouching, bending or stooping for multiple hours in a row without straightening the back.
- Pulling, pushing, or dragging heavyweights.
- Stretching or twisting incorrectly.
- Staying in the same position for too long, such as sitting at a desk.
- Working overtime or when one has not slept can also cause back pains.
Why is Stretching at Work Important?
1. Helps Reduce Tiredness
Fatigue is a common symptom of being overworked, needing a break, or going home to rest. Stretching helps provide instant relief as it opens up joints and treats sore muscles that have been inactive for a while.
Stretching also increases blood supply to the muscles, allowing nutrients to reach specific parts of the body.
2. Prevents Muscle Strain Injuries
Stretching allows you to warm up your muscles. Think of it as a way of preparing your body for a workout or a simple task that needs to be done. When you stretch, your muscles slowly wake up.
Stretching is essential for athletes before they start a tournament. It helps them warm their bodies so that they can perform better and avoid any muscle-related injuries.
3. Allows Good Posture
When you sit or crouch for too long every single day, you will notice that your posture starts to get affected. One way to avoid this is to stretch multiple times in a day. Stretching will help the muscle tissues realign, making it easier to maintain good posture.
Over time, muscles adapt to the effects of gravity, leading to poor posture and, eventually, chronic back pain.
4. Allows Muscle Coordination and Balance
Regular stretching allows opposing groups of muscle to come together and function in a coordinated way so that you no longer have to face any awkward body movements.
This, in turn, helps increase flexibility and reflexes - both of which are essential skills for concreters to have at work.