Ergonomics Made Easy Blog

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Staying Fit While Pregnant

Thursday May 26, 2011

I've posted before about sustaining productivity while pregnant with regard to work.  Today, I thought I'd bring it home a little more with working out safely and ergonomically, which always go hand in hand.  Working out can be challenging while pregnant- trying to stay in shape, while protecting yourself and the baby, of course, is a work out in and of itself.  I know- I'm on my third pregnancy and am just on the other side of morning sickness {knock on wood}.  I am just now ending a 2 or 3-month hiatus from exercise and trying to work out again because I was told in the labor room that being in shape really helped me deliver quickly and easily.  I plan on doing it again!

On the flip side, trying to work out and actually accomplishing it {safely} with 2 little ones also at home is challenging!  I will say that working out from home is my cheapest, quickest option because I don't have to pay for a gym membership or child care, and there's no travel time.  That said, I have 2 choices- we purchased an inexpensive used elliptical machine and I also got Gillian Michaels' Shred DVD.

Tips for Exercising Ergonomically While Pregnant

As for actually exercising, the most important thing to remember is that you're pregnant!!  You simply can't work out to the degree that you were when you were in peak shape.  The goal now is to keep a routine, stay healthy, keep flexibility, and not push it too hard.  

Avoiding injury is essential- thus, never skip warm-ups or cool-downs.  As with office ergonomics, never strain your neck, back, shoudlers, hands, or wrists- warming up and cooling down will help, as will fewer high impact routines.  Give your growing, changing body a chance at health with a good warm up and cool down.

Finally, modify the moves!  You may need to slow down or choose a lower impact version.  I know the Shred offers a modified version, which I take advantage of and apply to other exercises I try.  I also eliminated the hardest, highest impact level because it was too bouncy for my body for many, many reasons {fellow moms will understand}.

You can still exercise while pregnant, but it's important to apply the same ergonomic principles as when you're at work, such as avoiding strain and injury.

Posted in children , exercise , pregnancy | Make a Comment

Tips for an Ergonomic Work-Out

Thursday March 17, 2011

With the warmer weather comes a certain desire to shed extra layers- of clothing and weight.  Many of us over-indulge during the holidays and want to slim back down for spring and summer.  As great as it is for your overall health to be more fit, we all need to be careful how we start and conduct our exercise routines.  It's important not to be haphazard with frequency, goals, and habits.  
  • Warm up and cool down.  As tempting as it may be to jump right in to a work-out, it is essential for your muscles that you warm up with good stretches so you don't strain or pull muscles.  A proper cool-down is just as important to signal to your muscles that the end is in sight but not abrupt.  Good stretching that doesn't over-extend your joints or muscles will aid in keeping you limber and able to exercise.
  • Ease your way in to a good work-out instead of killing yourself the first few days.  Experts recommend 30-40 minutes of cardio, so build up to that over a few weeks so you don't stress your body.
  • Establish a good routine that you can do consistently.  Your body will thank you.  Working out sporadically or in compact bursts will not yield good results.  Rather, set a reasonable goal or 3-4 times a week, being flexible as your schedule mandates.  It may end up being 4 times one week and 2 another, but an average of 3 is a good goal.
  • A good, healthy burn in your muscles as you work out is great, but actual pain anywhere is never a good sign.  If you already have sensitive areas, please modify your routine to bypass putting direct pressure there.  When you warm up, work-out, or cool down, be especially mindful of your neck, knees, shoulders, wrists, and all muscles because it's sadly too easy to strain or pull them.  Just like you practice good office ergonomics to avoid repetitive strain injuries, be careful to never bend, cock, or angle your body in a weird position that causes pain.  This may mean avoiding push-ups and other moves that force your body to bend awkwardly, but through modification or use of weights, you should be able to find an equally effective work-out.  Lastly, don't pull on your neck as you work your abs during sit-ups or crunches- it's weakens the exercise and causes neck strain.  

Being careful to modify or plan a work-out to avoid injury will help you get in far better shape, both physically and ergonomically.  Just like at work, there are ergonomic principles that should be followed, such as not putting strain on your neck or wrists. Take the time to think it through and save yourself the pain.

Posted in exercise , health , repetitive strain injury (RSI) , Uncategorized , wrist pain | Make a Comment

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