Back-to-school is almost here. For teachers in Oakville, Mississauga and the surrounding GTA, that means the return of long days on your feet, busy classrooms, lesson planning, marking, commuting and everything else that comes with a new school year.
After a more relaxed summer routine, going back to work can be a big change for your body. Maybe your back started bothering you last September. Maybe your neck was always sore after a long day of marking. Perhaps your feet and legs felt heavy by the end of the week. Or maybe you’ve been dealing with a nagging injury all summer that you haven’t had time to address.
The good news? You don’t have to wait until September to do something about it.
The next few weeks can be a great opportunity to prepare for the physical demands of the school year and address those aches and pains before your schedule gets hectic.
Continue reading to discover simple ways to help prevent aches and pains and learn how physiotherapy may help support you during those long days in the classroom.
Why Does Your Body Feel Different When School Starts?
Teaching isn’t necessarily a physically demanding job in the same way as construction or other manual work, but your body can still be exposed to a lot of repetitive or prolonged activity throughout the day.
When September arrives, you may suddenly be:
- Standing and walking around the classroom for hours
- Sitting at a computer for lesson planning and marking
- Looking down at student work
- Bending over desks
- Carrying books, supplies and equipment
- Walking between classrooms
- Supervising recess, lunch or extracurricular activities
- Commuting more frequently
- Spending less time exercising or recovering
Neck Pain From Marking, Lesson Planning and Screens
If your neck seemed fine over the summer but regularly became sore during the school year, your daily routine may be part of the picture.
Teachers can spend significant amounts of time:
- Working at a laptop
- Looking down at assignments
- Marking papers
- Preparing lessons
- Answering emails
- Sitting at a desk between classes
Rather than focusing on finding one “perfect” posture, it can be more useful to think about how long you stay in one position and how often you move throughout the day. Changing positions, taking short movement breaks and making sure your workstation is set up appropriately can all be useful strategies. If neck pain, headaches or stiffness regularly return once school starts, a physiotherapy assessment can help determine what may be contributing and whether mobility, strength or movement strategies could help.
Back Pain After a Long Day in the Classroom
Does your lower back start hurting around 3 p.m.?
You’re not alone.
A teaching day can involve a combination of standing, walking, sitting, bending, reaching and lifting. While your body is designed to handle these activities, suddenly increasing the amount of time you spend doing them can be challenging. If you had back pain during the previous school year, don’t simply assume you’ll have to deal with it again this September.
Ask yourself:
What aggravated it last year?
Was it:
- Standing for long periods?
- Sitting to mark?
- Bending over desks?
- Carrying supplies?
- Driving to and from work?
- A combination of everything?
Understanding what aggravates your symptoms is an important first step toward developing a plan to manage them.
Your Feet and Legs May Not Be Ready for September
One of the biggest changes for many teachers is simply how much time they spend on their feet. You may go from a summer routine with plenty of opportunities to sit down and change activities to spending much of your school day standing, walking and supervising students.
This can leave some people with:
- Tired legs
- Achy feet
- Lower-leg discomfort
- A feeling of heaviness
- Swelling around the ankles or lower legs
If this sounds familiar, don’t ignore it if it is persistent or getting worse. Your physiotherapist can assess factors such as strength, mobility, footwear, activity tolerance and how you move throughout the day to determine whether there are areas that can be addressed.
Compression Socks:
If you’re spending much of your day on your feet, compression socks may be another tool worth considering.
Graduated compression socks apply pressure to the lower leg and may help reduce lower-leg swelling, fatigue and discomfort associated with prolonged standing. Research in workers who spend long periods standing has found benefits with compression stockings compared with regular socks, including less lower-leg fatigue and swelling.
They may be particularly worth considering if your workday includes:
- Several hours of standing
- Walking around the classroom
- Recess or lunch supervision
- Long periods without an opportunity to sit
- Achy or heavy-feeling legs at the end of the day
Sheddon Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic carries compression socks, and our team can help you determine whether they may be appropriate for you.
What Can Teachers Do NOW to Prepare for September?
This is perhaps the most important part of the article.
You don’t have to wait until September to start preparing.
If you have two weeks before you’re back in the classroom, that’s two weeks you can use to address an existing problem and start building a plan.
Get That Nagging Injury Assessed
Did you finish last school year with recurring:
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Knee pain
- Foot pain
- Headaches
- Muscle or joint stiffness?
If it improved over the summer, that’s great, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the underlying issue has completely resolved. Sometimes the reduction in symptoms simply reflects a change in your daily activity. Getting assessed before September can give you a better understanding of what may be contributing to the problem and what you can do to manage it when your normal routine returns.
Start Building Your Capacity
You don’t need to completely overhaul your fitness routine before school starts.
Instead, think about gradually preparing for the activities you’ll be doing more frequently.
Depending on your individual needs, this might involve working on:
- Strength
- Mobility
- Balance
- Walking tolerance
- Standing tolerance
- Core or lower-body strength
- General fitness
The goal is to help your body better tolerate the demands of your normal workday.
Make Your Physio Plan Fit Your Teaching Schedule
We know that teachers have busy schedules, and once the school year begins, finding time for appointments can become even harder. That’s why Sheddon Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic offers early morning and late appointments to help accommodate busy work schedules.
The best exercise program is one you can actually fit into your life.
Do I Need Physiotherapy If My Pain Isn’t Bad Right Now?
Not necessarily, but if you have a recurring problem that tends to return when your workload increases, now can be a good time to have it assessed.
For example:
“My back is fine right now, but every September it starts hurting.”
“My feet are fine during the summer, but by October they hurt every day.”
“My neck pain disappears during the summer and comes back once I’m marking every night.”
A physiotherapy assessment can help you understand what may be contributing to your symptoms and whether there are specific areas, such as strength, mobility, movement habits or activity tolerance, that could be addressed.
Get Ahead of September Before September Gets Ahead of You
If you’re a teacher in Oakville, Mississauga or the surrounding GTA and you’re dealing with recurring neck pain, back pain, foot pain, leg fatigue or another injury, the next few weeks may be the perfect time to do something about it.
At Sheddon Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic, our team can help you assess your symptoms, build an individualized treatment and exercise plan, and find strategies that fit your busy teaching schedule.
Get ahead of September and start the school year feeling prepared.
Book your physiotherapy assessment at Sheddon Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Physiotherapy for Teachers
How can physiotherapy help teachers?
Physiotherapy can help assess and treat many common musculoskeletal problems, including back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, knee pain and other injuries that may affect your ability to work and stay active. Your physiotherapist can also help develop an individualized exercise and management plan based on your specific symptoms and daily demands.
Should I start physiotherapy before school starts?
If you have an existing or recurring problem, the weeks before school starts can be a convenient time to get assessed. Starting before your schedule becomes hectic may give you time to understand your symptoms, begin an appropriate exercise program and develop strategies for managing your workload.
Do my physiotherapy benefits reset in September?
It depends on your individual insurance plan.
Some workplace benefit plans reset at a particular time of year, while others follow a calendar year or have different coverage periods. If you think your benefits may reset in September, August can be a good time to check how much physiotherapy coverage you have remaining. Check your benefits provider or employer for the specific details of your plan.
I still have physiotherapy benefits left. Should I use them before they reset?
If you’ve been putting off addressing a recurring injury, nagging pain or movement problem, August may be a good time to have it assessed. You don’t need to wait until you’re in significant pain to seek advice about a problem that repeatedly affects your work or activities. Check your coverage, and if you have benefits remaining, consider using them before your benefit period ends.
