Health and Prevention: Powerful strategies to prevent injuries and reduce absenteeism

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Humberto Marqués Biosca, a physiotherapist at the COS Physiotherapy Osteopathy clinic, provides some behavioural guidelines to apply at home and at work to prevent injuries, pains and illnesses. Physiotherapy can even help reduce workplace absenteeism in companies.

Physical health and well-being are fundamental to leading a full and active life. However, we often neglect preventive measures that can avoid long-term pain and injuries. Dylsi asked our partner, physiotherapist Humberto Marqués, to share some tips on how to look after our health at home and at work, focusing on preventing injuries and maintaining physical fitness.

“It’s not very difficult to include some behavioural guidelines in our daily lives to feel better. Making small changes in our habits can achieve great results”, says Humberto Marqués.

• – First of all, he recommends daily stretching to maintain flexibility and prevent muscle tension. “Stretching the main muscle groups – neck, shoulders, back, legs and hips – for a few minutes in the morning is already a big step forward,” the physiotherapist comments. “It’s also important to stretch occasionally during the day, especially for people who do sedentary or repetitive work. Getting up every hour to stretch and relax muscles, even if it just for a minute, prevents many injuries.”
• – This should go hand in hand with active breaks to activate and oxygenate muscles, especially for people who spend eight hours or more sitting in an office. “Getting up about every hour to move a little can help prevent injuries caused by staying in the same posture for a long time,” Humberto Marqués affirms.
• – This active break could be taking a moment to stretch, go for a short walk, or, best of all, do an energetic activity for a minute. “Some squats, push-ups or jumping jacks – jumping while spreading your arms and legs at the same time – are perfect for increasing your heart rate, releasing tension, and thus avoiding muscle stiffness and, in the long run, injuries.”
• “Regular physical activity is very important for health in general, and here it’s also essential to ensure some changes in your heart rate, because the body quickly gets used to a particular exercise,” explains Humberto Marqués. . “If you’re going to walk for half an hour every day, make sure you move faster or more intensely for at least 5 minutes – climb stairs or a hill, or speedup your pace.”

All these tips are valid for everyday life both at home and at work, including working from home. But there are also some very specific guidelines to keep in mind in the workplace, specifically for people who work in an office.

• Ergonomics in the office or home workspace. The configuration of the workspace is fundamental for preventing pain and injuries. Raise the computer monitor to eye level (“to avoid neck tension and headaches”); adjust your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor, or else slightly raised on a box, for example (“never cross your legs!!”); and use headphones or earphones for long or frequent phone calls (“never hold the phone between cheek and shoulder”). “At office workplaces, the company usually ensures these measures are in place. But people who work from home should pay special attention to these details”.

“In general, both in the office and at home, we should stop for a minute every hour to stretch, move, take active breaks,” the physiotherapist reminds us, highlighting regular physical activity and good hydration and nutrition as good general prevention and self-care measures. “It’s always better to prepare a healthy snack or lunch at home than to resort to a quick sandwich every day.”

Companies Reduce Workplace Absenteeism

Something else to bear in mind: you shouldn’t only visit your physiotherapist when you’re in pain – which is usually when we remember to go to the specialist – but take advantage of the ‘maintenance’ treatments they offer to maintain flexibility and prevent tension and injuries. Scheduling a session with the physiotherapist every month or six weeks is ideal for maintaining good musculoskeletal health.

Specific programs are also offered for companies that are particularly concerned about caring for their employees. “We have companies that we visit once a month to give talks to employees and teach some movement and stretching exercises, for example, and even offer brief physiotherapy sessions to those workers who need it,” explains Humberto Marqués, reminding us that, apart from being a social benefit for employees, “taking care of worker health on the part of the company is an investment that helps minimise sick leave and workplace absenteeism.”

In Spain, and in Mallorca in particular, the healthcare system is very good; we have great health facilities and excellent doctors and healthcare personnel. But it’s always preferable to maintain good health and reduce visits to the doctor as much as possible. Professionals like Humberto Marqués from the COS clinic in Palma helps us prevent diseases and stay healthy. At Dylsi, we specialise in personal protection, which is why we aim to add value with advice, recommendations and, of course, consultations regarding health insurance. Above all, we encourage you to stay fit and healthy. If you have any questions or would like more information, please do not hesitate to call Darryl on +34 680 82 68 03 or email [email protected]. We are here to help.

This article was created in collaboration with Humberto Marqués, a certified physiotherapist at the COS Fisioterapia Osteoterapia clinic in Palma.

You can contact Humberto Marqués at:

Address: calle Ibiza, 7, Bajos, 07011 Palma

Phone: (0034) 628 779 056

Google: Google Profile

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