Meghan Moore, MA, ATC
Operations Manager
Well at Work Occupational Health
The definition of an athlete is a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.
Individuals who perform physical labor jobs that consistently involve standing, walking, pushing, pulling, and lifting need to think of themselves as true “industrial athletes.” That said, if you are an industrial athlete, you need to treat your body as such. Proper hydration, nutrition, stretching, and cross-training should be part of your daily routine.
Hydration is Key
The human body is 60% water. Being properly hydrated helps your body reduce pain and protect your joints by keeping the cartilage soft and flexible as they are made of 70-80% water. Muscles that are dehydrated from lack of water and electrolytes can experience cramping or spasms. Hydration also helps regulate your body temperature and improve blood oxygen circulation. Ideally, everyone should drink half their body weight in ounces per day. If you weigh 180 pounds, you should be drinking 90 ounces of water per day.
Nutrition Tips
Proper nutrition includes eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates daily while limiting sugary and fried foods. Proper nutrition also ensures you are getting adequate nutrition, which helps with muscle recovery after a long day at work. This also replenishes lost electrolytes from sweating while performing your daily job tasks. Try eating lean proteins such as chicken, salmon, eggs, and yogurt and carbohydrates such as quinoa, sweet potatoes, and whole grains. Healthy fats in controlled portions can also help with muscle recovery. Try adding avocado, nuts, or trail mix into your diet.
Consider Warming Up/Stretching
Every athlete needs to understand the importance of a proper warm up to decrease their risk of injury. Stretching increases blood flow to the muscles and keeps muscles flexible, which allows your body to be able to work in its full range of motion and will increase your overall performance. It is also true that a proper cool down after work will also help in your recovery. Stretching after work can help your body relax and eliminate any lactic acid buildup that occurs during the day, which can cause soreness and pain in the body.
Staying Active After Work
Even though you just did a physically demanding job for eight to 12 hours, it is still important to be active and not go home and sit on the couch. Finding something you enjoy that promotes physical activity is important for the body. It can help reduce stress levels, improve your mood, promote relaxation for better sleep quality, help build bone density, reduce muscle loss as you age, decrease the risk of chronic disease, and actually reduce pain. Just 30 minutes a day of walking or some form of calisthenics (such as planks, push-ups, body weight squats, etc.) can be beneficial and will help improve your overall health.
Listen to Your Body
Remember to listen to your body and give it the proper fuel and tools it needs to stay healthy and happy. The ultimate goal is to work so you can live. Take care of yourself so you can work and prevent injuries from occurring, allowing you to enjoy your time outside of the workplace.
