The negative effects of the pandemic: more and more Poles are struggling with back pain

19 października 2021

Back pain is one of the most common diseases of affluence. Experts warn that the pandemic has further aggravated this problem. Lack of exercise, isolation at home, remote work, spending time in front of the computer, chronic stress, snacking, and, as a result, extra kilograms, had a negative impact not only on our wellbeing, but also our health. As experts emphasise, if we do not act to improve the condition of our body, especially when it sends us warning signs, the consequences of the pandemic may be even greater.

In early 2020, few believed that the world could change overnight. Meanwhile, just a few months later, the restrictions connected with the lockdown strongly affected our physical and mental condition. According to the nationwide survey conducted in October 2020 by the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, 34% of adult Poles have reduced their physical activity and 28% admitted putting on weight during the pandemic. – We stopped moving because our whole life began to concentrate in one place – home – which became a place of remote work and study at the same time. In addition to the chronic lack of exercise, weight also has a large impact on the condition and form of the spine. Unfortunately, we gained a few extra pandemic kilograms because for many of us snacking has become one of the ways to relieve stress – says Andrzej Kępczyński, physiotherapist and physiotherapy expert at Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce.

The spine and working behind the desk: how can we help ourselves?

Hours spent in front of a computer screen are the daily life of millions of professionally active Poles. Unfortunately, many of us do not care about the correct body position while working. As a result, the spine is subjected to high loads that can cause back pain over time. According to the survey conducted for Benefit Systems on the Ariadna panel at the end of March this year, back pain is felt by 86% of the society and in the case of 13% of the respondents these ailments additionally worsened during the pandemic. As experts emphasise, the numbers show the scale of the problem only partially. – The reasons for this situation are lack of exercise and being overweight. Extra kilograms often lead to incorrect body posture: instead of straightening the back, we start to assume a hunched pose. Over time, not only the spine fails, but also the knees or other joints. Then the visit to the orthopaedist is only a matter of time. Can we prevent this? Indeed. We should move and remember that it is worth thinking about returning to good shape before the back problems become chronic and require radical interventions – explains Andrzej Kępczyński.

The physiotherapist also emphasises that the human body is not adapted to sitting for hours but loves gymnastics and even the smallest dose of exercise is very beneficial. Therefore, for a good start, it is worth thinking about something we can do for ourselves during a short break at work. Such an active moment will not only help relieve the tired spine but also reduce stress and muscle tension as well as improve concentration. – Whenever possible, it is worth getting up from the desk. There are certainly situations that enable us to do this, such as making business calls while standing. In the meantime, it is also worth doing a few simple exercises, for example, arm and hips circles, alternately pulling and relaxing the shoulder blades or head circles. When sitting, remember to change the position of the body as often as possible and make a few circular movements in the air with your feet from time to time to relax the muscles of the legs and stimulate the circulation. There is a lot of inspiration online for this type of activity but it is worth remembering to use only those exercises that have been created by professionals based on their knowledge and experience – emphasises Andrzej Kępczyński. Such guides in the form of free e-books, including those with a proposal of exercises during short breaks at work, can be found at www.przygotujsie.pl

Physical activity: how to return to regular exercise safely?

Returning to physical activity after a long break is a real revolution for the body. And although the body appreciates exercise, we must be careful. The body takes time to adapt. Too intense exercise without proper preparation can cause more harm than good. Then it is easy to injure, strain the muscles that have been dormant or overload the joints. – We often want to make up for lost time and get back in shape as soon as possible. This is a bit of our nature, because we feel best when the effects are visible immediately. However, this is not the way. Long-term inactivity, extra kilograms, or the desire to start exercising while having problems with the osteoarticular system require us to be prudent. In this case, it is best to consult an expert. It is people whose activity has been limited for a long time and who want to minimise the risk of health problems related to many hours of work in front of a computer or after an injury or infection that Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce has been designed for. There, based on an interview and current health condition, physiotherapists create a personalised set of exercises, tailored to our abilities and needs – says the physiotherapist.

Andrzej Kępczyński also emphasises that regular training under the supervision of a physiotherapist or trainer is a kind of prophylaxis to prevent pain and changes in the spine. An additional advantage of systematic workouts will be strengthening of core muscles and stretching contracted parts of the body, which, apart from physical fitness, will teach us to maintain a correct posture. When we want to eliminate mistakes in our exercises it is also worth using the help of a physiotherapist or a professional trainer in a fitness club.

– I know from experience that independent attempts to exercise without supervision do not always end up with the desired effect. Firstly, it is difficult to find motivation, and secondly, without the appropriate knowledge we often push our body too hard and then we quickly give up and never return to exercise. Meanwhile, in fitness clubs, under the supervision of a trainer or physiotherapist, with professional equipment at our disposal and people exercising around us, it is easier to mobilise oneself. Another advantage is the wide range of activities suitable for everyone, because they consider not only our condition but also our preferences. Online training is also conducive to regularity. We can easily treat them as a complement to the activity undertaken in the club. Workouts supporting the health of the spine are becoming increasingly popular on the Yes2Move.com platform – suggests Andrzej Kępczyński.

In the “Movement is healthy” survey conducted by Benefit Systems in August 2021 as part of the “Get ready!” campaign, 77% of fitness club users emphasise that the fact of engaging in physical activity in a fitness club provides them with motivation to maintain regular training. In turn, 85% admit that physical activity helps them to alleviate the negative effects of sedentary work and 91% believe that regular exercise helps them stay fit for longer.

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Benefit Systems has been operating on the Polish market since 2001. It is the creator of the MultiSport Programme which enables company employees and their families to take up physical activity in sports facilities and at home. The company is the operator of nearly 160 fitness clubs in Poland that belong to seven different networks: Zdrofit, Fitness Academy, My Fitness Place, Fabryka Formy, StepONE, S4 Fitness and FitFabric. The sports offer is being successfully developed by the company also in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Turkey. More information on Benefit Systems can be found at https://www.benefitsystems.pl/

Get ready! educational campaign is a joint initiative of seven fitness networks from all over Poland (Zdrofit, Fitness Academy, My Fitness Place, Fabryka Formy, StepONE, S4 Fitness and FitFabric). The campaign aims at building the awareness of the positive impact of physical activity on health and quality of life. Details of the project can be found at www.przygotujsie.pl

Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce are treatment facilities that provide medical services in physioprophylaxis and kinesiotherapy (movement improvement), aimed at improving health and psychophysical condition of patients. Behind the idea of Zdrofit Zdrowe Miejsce is Benefit Systems Fitness Unit, which manages Zdrofit, My Fitness Place and Fitness Academy fitness clubs.