Repetitive strain injury and lower back pain are common workplace injuries for therapists but easily preventable with the right know-how. Pilates teacher Kerry Beavis demonstrates four exercises that will keep your staffin tip-top shape

Kerry Beavis

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) and back pain are usually caused by overuse of certain muscles and joints – for example, by doing massage treatments back to back.

Kerry Beavis, Pilates teacher, owner of home-based salon The Revive Company and Professional Beauty’s Therapist of the Year 2016, recommends four exercises that therapists should be doing daily to help prevent symptoms occurring.

“If you don’t look after your posture then later down the line you’re going to have problems,” explains Beavis. “If you can get into the habit of doing these exercises every day then you will really feel the beneit of stretching your core, wrists, hands and the back of your body.”

EXERCISE ONE: hand strength and stretch

1. With your left hand spread out wide and facing the ceiling, press your index inger and thumb together and hold for a slow count of ive, pressing as irmly as possible

2. Release and stretch your ingers out wide into a star shape

3. Next, press your thumb and middle inger together and squeeze for ive seconds, before releasing and stretching

4. Repeat this on your ring and little inger, making sure to press your thumb against each for a count of ive

5. Perform this exercise as often as you can throughout the day.

BEAVIS SAYS…

”This exercise is brilliant for strengthening your hands and preventing RSI”

EXERCISE TWO: wrist curls

1. Hold a light weight in your left hand with your wrist facing the ceiling. If you don’t have an exercise weight at home, a bottle of water or tin of beans would work just as well

2. Make sure your hand and forearm are lush to one another at a 90-degree angle, with your right hand placed under your forearm for support

3. Flex your wrist, bringing your ingers up towards your arm and then release, bringing your wrist back to that lush angle

4. Repeat this seven times and then move the weight to your right hand, performing another seven. If you get any pain, stop immediately or reduce your range of movement

5. Put the weight back in your left hand but turn it around so that your palm is facing the loor. Next, lex your wrist up, bringing your knuckles up to your forearm

6. Do this seven times and then repeat on your other hand.

BEAVIS SAYS…

”Perform this exercise every day and it will really strengthen your wrists and forearms”

EXERCISE THREE: the roll down

1. Start in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart. Your toes should be facing forward

2. Roll your shoulders back, drawing your naval in towards your spine so that the muscles around your mid-section are engaged, as these are vital for supporting your lower back

3. Breathe in and, as you exhale, nod your chin to your chest and start rolling your body down bone by bone, letting your arms hang freely. Reach down as far as you can

4. When you’re at the bottom, take a deep breath. As you exhale, restack bone by bone to your original standing position

5. Repeat seven times for the best results.

BEAVIS SAYS…

”Regularly stretching out your posterior chain will enable your spine to be more flexible”

EXERCISE FOUR: the leg slide

1. Lie on the loor with your knees bent and hip-width apart. Feel the length through your spine, sending the crown of your head away from your tail bone

2. Press your shoulder blades into the loor but don’t squeeze your bum cheeks or thighs. It’s a case of using your abdominal muscles to press your back into place

3. Place your ingertips on the inside of your hip bones, drawing in your naval so you can engage those core muscles

4. Breathe in, and as you exhale, slide your right leg away from your body. When it’s fully extended, your leg should feel weightless

5. Then, slide your leg back up to the starting position. Repeat this movement seven times on each leg.

BEAVIS SAYS…

”This exercise will strengthen your core without jeopardising your lower back”