Activities of daily living be they shopping, housework, climbing stairs, all have an impact on your body. Muscles get tight and sore and the body tries to move to a position of comfort-postural changes occur and a vicious cycle of chronic niggling pains can begin.
Here are just a few examples of how daily life can take its toll.
Office Work
We are simply not designed to sit at a desk for long hours, hunched in front of a computer screen. Continual use of a mouse or touch pad can lead to repetitive strain injuries like tennis elbow. Shoulders tend to move forward when typing leading to postural changes in the neck and upper back.
Driving
Long hours at the wheel shorten the hamstrings. A poor seat position will eventually effect the lower back. Incorrect mirror height puts the neck and upper back in a cramped position
Pregnancy and Motherhood
During pregnancy and beyond the hormone Relaxin increases flexibility in joints ready for childbirth, however this can lead to a tendency to overstrain and overstretch. The weight of the baby during pregnancy puts more stress on the lower back . Post delivery, mums (and dads!) may suffer upper back and shoulder discomfort from cradling their baby during feeding and nursing.
Manual Labour
Gardening, DIY, working with heavy machinery put strain on muscles and ligaments which over time can manifest into chronic back pain and repetitive strain injuries.
Stress
Pressure at work and at home, meeting deadlines, monetary worries, relationships can all take their toll. The body reacts to stressors by tightening up. Continual stress will lead to chronic muscle tightness, possible headaches and pain.