Chantal Donnelly, Creator of New DVD “Pain Free at Work,” Shares Which Muscles To Exercise

Feb. 8, 2011 - PRLog -- LOS ANGELES, CA— “Do you really need to train your body for sitting? Sitting all day is not natural for our bodies,” says physical therapist Chantal Donnelly, who is also a massage therapist, Pilates instructor, professor, researcher and owner of Body Insight. One of the primary problems Donnelly sees is that people train for everything except sitting for long periods of time, which is what most people do all day. Furthermore, much of the training people do, such as running or weightlifting, can make sitting more painful because these exercises can tighten the hamstring and chest muscles.
According to the American Pain Foundation, pain is the second leading cause of medically related work absenteeism, resulting in more than 50 million lost workdays annually. For business owners and employees alike, this number is staggering and leads to lost revenue and productivity.
“Being in pain can lead to an unhealthy cycle that affects cholesterol, blood pressure, body fat ratio, etc.,” says Donnelly.  “Those in pain often don’t sleep well, which leads to poor food choices and not exercising. These choices can alter important biometric markers, which predict medical problems, such as blood glucose levels,” she explains.
Donnelly created “Pain Free at Work,” a DVD that helps desk workers alleviate pain affecting the back, neck, arms, hands and more. The DVD contains exercises targeting many areas of the body that we need to stretch or strengthen to sit for long periods of time. In the DVD Donnelly demonstrates exercises you can do while seated at your desk, a comprehensive after-work workout and self-help techniques for handling pain. Donnelly also consults with an ergonomic expert and a stress management expert who provide helpful tips for relieving and preventing pain.
Donnelly has made a life-long study of the body. Since graduating from Occidental College with a BA in psychology and kinesiology, she earned an M.S. in physical therapy from Mount Saint Mary’s College in Los Angeles and is now a professor of physical therapy. She provides these tips for staving off pain at work:
•   “When sitting, the weight of your body should be on your ‘sit bones,’ rather than your tailbone.”
•   “For pain prevention and a slimming effect, tone the transverse abdominal muscle.”
•   “Position your monitor to be directly in line with your computer to avoid joint irritation and blocked blood flow. ”
The “Pain Free at Work” DVD, and more information about Donnelly and her corporate and private services, is available at www.bodyinsight.com.