Guides | November 2022

STRETCHING GUIDE:
10 stretches every tradie should do for health and injury prevention

stretching when you're standing all day - steel blue

Almost 70% of tradies say muscle soreness and niggles come with the job
Spending a few minutes each day warming up your muscles and stretching can help prevent injuries and soreness
Check out our 10 simple warm-up exercises you can incorporate into your daily routine.

If you play a bit of sport on the weekend, or if you go for a regular run or jog, the chances are you do a few warm-up exercises before you begin.

But how often do you stretch before you start work? If you’re like three-quarters of people working in trades, you probably don’t do anything at all to get your body ready for a day on the tools.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association’s National Tradies’ Heath Survey recently found that while half of all tradies and FIFO workers say they’d stretch before playing sport, just one in four do any form of warm-up before work.

Yet, the same survey found 69% of tradies reported experiencing some kind of work-related soreness and, worryingly, considered it came with the job. That soreness is the canary in the coalmine — a sure sign you should start incorporating a simple warm-up into your daily routine.

Below, we’ve got some excellent warm-up exercises you can try. But first, let’s take a quick look at why warming up is important before a day’s work.

Work shouldn’t leave you feeling sore or at risk of injury

Plenty of professionals warm up before they put their exceptional skills to use.

Gymnasts warm up and stretch for between 30 minutes and an hour before they start a day’s training. Tennis pros will do a physical warm-up for about an hour and then a technical warm-up of 30 to 40 minutes before a match. Ballet dancers may do up to two and a half hours before a rehearsal (which may only go for 90 minutes).

While physical activity will differ during your working day, the principle is the same as an athlete warming up: your body (and health) should form part of your toolkit so treat it properly. You lubricate power tools, sharpen blades and calibrate precision instruments to keep them all in excellent working order. When you don’t, things start to go wrong. It’s the same with your body.

"Increasing flexibility with 5-10 minutes of stretching every morning before work can make a big difference and help you warm up for the day. It’s particularly helpful to stretch the quadriceps, hamstrings, back and shoulder muscles."

The risks to tradies from not warming up properly

Former Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) national president Phil Calvert said tradies are at risk of a range of injuries, as a result of the intensity and often repetitive nature of their work.

“So, it’s important that they put preventive health measures in place and get help before little niggles turn into more chronic issues,” he said.

“Increasing flexibility with five to 10 minutes of stretching every morning before work can make a big difference and help you warm up for the day. It’s particularly helpful to stretch the quadriceps, hamstrings, back and shoulder muscles.”

Phil said if you feel a niggle, or if you find you are sore more often than your workmates, you should consider seeing a physiotherapist. Taking action early can prevent a niggle from getting worse and prevent you having enforced time off work to recover.

Your physiotherapist can advise you on how to manage your work without making the issue worse, along with providing treatment and exercises to assist in a speedy recovery.

Occupational Health Physiotherapists can also visit your workplace to assess your tasks and provide advice to help manage the problem, as well as prevent re-aggravation.

A word about work boots and back pain

Looking after your health means you can perform your craft at the highest level. Steel Blue boots are the only work boots endorsed by the APA, recognising how our technological advancements help tradies avoid stress-related knee, hip and spinal pain.

Work boots should be comfortable all day, every day. From FIFO work boots to agricultural safety boots, all Steel Blue safety footwear is built with patented Trisole® Comfort Technology, which incorporates three main components for ultimate comfort: an Ortho Rebound® Footbed, Midsole and Outsole. Plus, Steel Blue boots are backed by a 30-Day 100% Comfort Guarantee.

10 stretches you can do to prevent pain and injury

Here are a few easy stretches you can do before, during and after work to relieve lower back and leg soreness.

1. Knee-to-chest

Knee-to-chest is a great morning stretch. Roll out a yoga mat and repeat the cycle three times for each leg.

Start by lying on your back
Have your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
Clasp just below one knee using both hands
Bring the knee toward your chest until you feel a slight stretch in your lower back
Hold for 30-60 seconds
Release and return to starting position
Repeat with the other leg.

2. Side bend

You can do the side bend stretch several times throughout the day, during breaks and downtime.

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your side
Raise your right arm straight up over your head
Lean left until you feel resistance
Hold for 3-5 seconds, then slowly return to starting position
Repeat with your other arm.

3. Neck stretch

Your neck and vertebrae will love you for this easy stretch. Do five rounds on each side at least once a day.

Start facing forward (standing or sitting)
Turn your head slowly until your chin is over your shoulder
Return to start
Repeat on the other side.

4. Hamstrings

This familiar stretch loosens the tightness in your legs, hips and pelvis. Do this once or twice a day.

Start with one foot on an elevated surface at least 30-50cm high
Slowly bend forward until you feel tension on the back of your thigh
Hold for 3-5 seconds
Slowly release and repeat with the other leg.

5. Chest and shoulder stretch

After five rounds of this stretch, you’ll feel a lot more flexible.

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your side
Bend both elbows 90° with palms facing up
Squeeze your shoulder blades together
Hold for 3-5 seconds.

6. Happy baby

This one is a great lower back massage and a bit of fun.

Start lying on your back, legs in the air and bent so your soles are facing the ceiling
Hold the outside of your feet
Hook your elbows inside your knees
Rock gently side to side
Flex your heels into your hands at the same time.

7. Pec stretch

This stretch will reduce tightness when working on items in front of you all day.

Stand in front of a doorframe with the door open
Elevate your shoulder to approximately 90 degrees so your forearm is against the doorframe at around shoulder height
Keep your forearm on the doorframe and step forwards with the leg close to the doorframe
Slowly rotate your chest away until you can feel a stretch across your chest
Hold for 30 seconds
Slowly release and repeat on the other side.

8. Forearm stretch

Stretching the forearms helps to reduce the risk of injury from gripping tools all day.

Extend your arm straight in front of you
Extend your wrist back towards your body (palm facing away from body)
Pull the fingers further back with the other hand to stretch the front of the forearm
Hold for 30 seconds
Release and repeat stretch on the back of the forearm (palm facing towards body, pulling the back of the hand down)
Repeat with other arm.

APA stretches - Calf stretch with wall support'

9. Calf stretch

Stretching the calf muscles helps to reduce tightness from prolonged walking.

Stand with one leg in front of the other with the front knee bent and the back knee straight
Keep your heels on the floor and toes pointing forwards
Bend the front knee moving the body forwards to stretch the back of the calf (of the straight leg)
Hold for 30 seconds
Release and repeat on the other side.