Construction Trades and Massage

May 13, 2024 | by Visacova Santé

Whether you're a tiler, carpenter, painter, bricklayer, plasterer, roofer, or plumber, all of these trades involve physical demands that can place stress on your body.

Spending countless hours each week crouching, stretching, contorting, and lifting various loads can place strain on your muscles and contribute to discomfort or limited mobility over time.

Can Your Therapist Help?

Your massage therapist can be a valuable part of your wellness strategy. By discussing your daily routines, physical condition, and work environment, we can adapt sessions to suit your individual needs. Ongoing care may help ease physical tension and support your overall comfort at work.

Of course, your therapist isn't a magician, lasting results rely on your active participation between sessions. Stay aware of early signs of discomfort and take proactive steps to reduce stress on your body throughout the workday.

Tips for Staying Physically Resilient on the Job

Identifying problems is one thing, solving them is better. Here are some practical tips to improve your comfort and reduce the likelihood of physical strain:

Take Care of Your Back

Your back is your most important tool. Support it by strengthening and stretching your back muscles with movements like the cat-cow and child’s pose. Building strength in your core, glutes, and back helps support posture and stability.

Support the Whole Body

Don’t neglect your shoulders, arms, or legs, everything is connected. Incorporating full-body mobility and strength work helps maintain balance and reduces stress on isolated areas.

Worksite Prevention

Repetitive movements in construction can lead to fatigue and overuse. Break these patterns with stretch breaks and rotate tasks when possible. Avoid prolonged static positions and use rest periods to gently move and reset your posture.

Think Ergonomically

Set up your workspace to reduce unnecessary strain. Keep tools within reach, face your task directly to avoid twisting, and maintain a clean, open area to work more safely and efficiently.

Tough Doesn’t Mean Indestructible

Being strong is part of the job, but caring for your body ensures you can keep going strong. Daily movement, like walking, supports circulation and recovery. If you already have a physical routine, stick with it, just avoid overtraining.

Consider integrating massage into your wellness habits. While massage doesn’t replace medical care, it can support muscle recovery and general well-being when combined with healthy habits.

Talk with your therapist about your needs. Whether your goal is to maintain energy or decompress from physical strain, sessions can be customized to help you stay functional and feeling good.

Stay strong and keep building ,Visacova Santé

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- Takahashi, Kiyomi. (2017, October 16). Cat-Cow Pose. Yoga Journal France. [https://www.yogajournalfrance.fr/posture-du-chat-vache/](https://www.yogajournalfrance.fr/posture-du-chat-vache/)

- Yoga Journal France. (2017, June 12). Child's Pose. Yoga Journal France. [https://www.yogajournalfrance.fr/posture-de-lenfant/](https://www.yogajournalfrance.fr/posture-de-lenfant/)

- Government of Canada. (2016, January 8). Exercises for a Healthy Back. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. [https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/back/backexercises.html](https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/back/backexercises.html)

- CVIFS. (2022, February 23). The Importance of Strengthening the Glutes. CVIFS Association. [https://cvifs.fr/2022/02/23/limportance-de-muscler-le-fessier/](https://cvifs.fr/2022/02/23/limportance-de-muscler-le-fessier/)

- Posturosports Center. (2020). Muscular Chains. [http://www.posturosports.fr/les-chaines-musculaires.html](http://www.posturosports.fr/les-chaines-musculaires.html)

- Simoneau, S., St-Vincent, M., Chicoine, D. (1996). MSDs - Understanding Them Better to Prevent Them Better. Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et sécurité du travail (IRSST). [https://www.irsst.qc.ca/media/documents/pubirsst/rg-126.pdf](https://www.irsst.qc.ca/media/documents/pubirsst/rg-126.pdf)

- The Réseau des massothérapeutes professionnels du Québec.(2023) [https://rmpq.ca/](https://rmpq.ca/)