The 12 Days of Inspiration: Day 8
On the 8th Day of Inspiration an OT gave to me…the gift of music.
Nicholas McCarthy is an amazing young pianist who has overcome adversity to excel at his art. At age 23 Nicholas, born without his right hand, has become an inspirational musician.
The 12 Days of Inspiration: Day 7
On the 7th Day of Inspiration an OT gave to me…the story of an amazing young athlete excelling in 3 different sports, all with the use of only one arm.
Riley Quinn was born without a left forearm and hand, and has used this to fuel his desire to accomplish great things. Riley is a straight A student, plays all star baseball, football and basketball. See his amazing story here.
They 12 Days of Inspiration: Day 6
On the 6th Day of Inspiration an OT gave to me…the story of a 19 year old girl who has used her love for basketball to inspire the world to fight for a cure for the cancer she has.
Lauren Hill developed a love for the game of basketball at a young age and developed her skills throughout highschool. Now in College, Lauren is working to be a normal student and a part of her team, all the while dying from an inoperable form of brain cancer. The foundation Layup 4 Lauren was created as a tribute and has raised awareness and funds for cancer research.
The 12 Days of Inspiration: Day 5
On the 5th Day of Inspiration an OT gave to me…a team of Canadian soldiers who are overcoming injuries to prove that anything is possible.
Through True Patriot Love, a Canadian organization helping physical and mentally injured soldiers, a group of 12 injured soldiers, 2 Olympians and others set off on a trek to the Magnetic North Pole. They completed their 2 week venture and proved to the world that anything is possible.
The 12 Days of Inspiration: Day 4
On the 4th Day of Inspiration an OT gave to me…a man who even after dying had the last laugh.
Aaron Purmont, a young father who recently died of brain cancer, used his Obituary to leave a legacy. In this, he reveals that he was Spiderman – truly showing his true character. Although Aaron lost his battle, he left behind an amazing legacy about living and loving life to the fullest.
Sloppy Shoulder Syndrome? Straighten Up!
In one of the previous blogs we spoke about how to conquer “sitting disease” since so many people are required to sit for long periods for part of their job. Today we want to talk about something related:
Sloppy shoulders – are you guilty? Take a second to freeze at your desk and notice how your body is positioned. If you are like most people, your shoulders are slumped or rounded and you are bending over your desk. Many people’s work stations consist of their computer or laptop, keyboards, phone and mobile devices, requiring them to switch back and forth between devices while still spending extended periods of time in a seated, slumped position.
Being in this position for an extended period causes strain to the upper body, particularly the shoulders and upper back. At first, you may feel achy or tired in these areas, but this goes away at night or during days off work so it doesn’t impact your work performance. However, over time you may start to notice that your aches and pains begin earlier in the day, your muscles feel tight, and this starts to hamper you even when you aren’t at work. This impacts your productivity, quality of life and can lead to more serious and long-lasting injuries.
Here are some great tips to help address these issues before they start to impact your daily function, or if they do exist, to stop them from worsening:
• Lower your keyboard so your shoulders are not elevated when typing.
• Adjust your posture so you are sitting up straight in your chair, with your shoulders pulled away from your ears and your feet are flat on the floor with your knees directly over them.
• Alter your position so that you are not reaching forward to your keyboard or mouse.
• Adjust your chair so that your arms reach your desk at a 90 degree angle.
• Take regular breaks to stretch or stand up to relieve tension in your upper body.
• Stick out your chest to bring your shoulders back and down. Do this several times per day and hold this position.
Want more strategies to address pain at work? Check out our free e-book “Cost Effective Ergonomic Solutions” to learn additional strategies for addressing shoulder and upper back pain, among others, while you are sitting at your desk.
The 12 Days of Inspiration: Day 3
On the 3rd Day of Inspiration an OT gave to me…Canada’s champion for mental health awareness – Clara Hughes.
In 2014 Clara Hughes, Canadian Olympian and spokesperson for Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative took part in a 110 day bike ride across Canada. At each stop Clara took time to share her inspiring story of overcoming mental health struggles and worked to break down the stigma that continues to exist around mental illness. Clara is an inspiration to all!
The 12 Days of Inspiration: Day 2
On the 2nd Day of Inspiration an OT gave to me…an inspirational actor we lost but will remember forever.
This year the world lost legendary Actor and Philanthropist Robin Williams. Robin spent his life using his talent to give to others by raising money through Comic Relief for a variety of amazing causes. Watch as his Best Friend Billy Crystal pays tribute to this amazing man at the 2014 Emmys.
The 12 Days of Inspiration: Day 1
On the 1st Day of Inspiration an OT gave to me…a young girl who inspired the world.
Her story is one of survival and the fight for the education rights for girls across the globe. We proudly present the world’s youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize: Malala Yousafzai.