When Andrew Parkin started suffering from back pain at 26 he knew he had to seek help. Luckily, he was able to take advantage of subsidised sports massage, available to all colleagues at BGL Tech and he’s been reaping the rewards:
Leading an active lifestyle, both in the gym and on the football pitch, accompanied with a sedentary desk job can be a recipe for aches, pains and tightness. Being just 26-years-old, it was difficult for me to accept the cause was purely old age.
Until recently, I was always sceptical about holistic approaches to health and wellbeing. The idea that increasing mobility in my ankles could relieve knee pain or improving the flexibility in my hips could help to prevent back issues seemed a little ‘alternative’ to me.
Having suffered for a few years from back pain, a colleague, who was fully aware of my symptoms after sitting next to me for more than a year, and who was also a firm believer in such treatments, awarded me with an instant for a free wellbeing appointment (at BGL we can reward and recognise colleagues for displaying our core values with small gestures such as this).
It was a great opportunity for me to try out one of our many onsite wellbeing functions without having to spend money or leave the office. I went on to the intranet to schedule my appointment and was faced with a number of treatments from osteopathy to reflexology… huh? Initially this was daunting, but the selection was made easy by the descriptions of what each treatment entailed and what conditions it was appropriate for. I settled on a sports and remedial massage.
Treatment
I’d be lying if I said the treatment was comfortable and it didn’t solve all my issues at once. What it did do was encourage me to take an active involvement in my own care. In the session I learnt about how the body is all connected in some way or another and the stories I’d been told about tight hips causing back problems were, in fact, true. I was also told having a desk job involving mostly sitting was more than likely aggravating the existing issue due to the prolonged flexion of the hip. After discussing my symptoms and receiving some deep tissue massage I was given a few simple stretches to try at home.
Aftercare
Originally this did require a 20-minute per day commitment. Of course there were days when I lacked the motivation, days that I would have rather stayed in bed, or watched one more episode of Friends, but I remained consistent and stretching has now become part of my daily routine.
Without BGL offering this as a service and receiving a free appointment as a thank you from my colleague, I would more than likely still be struggling - not knowing how easily the issue could be remedied.
I’m converted and now use the subsidised wellbeing appointments at BGL once or twice a month, which is easy to fit in to my flexible working day (another great benefit).
Each session I continue to learn more and more about physical maintenance, I’ve been educated in the use of foam rolling and have even tried acupuncture (not for me — but as the cost is so low, it gives you the freedom to try these different treatments). BGL subsidises the cost so its people pay a fraction of what these sessions would cost elsewhere.
Alongside the conditioning work I was doing, I also made use of the BGL desk assessment facility which tested several elements including my seat positioning, monitor height and lumber support. I was provided with some desk risers for my monitors and learnt about the correct positioning my chair needed to be in to reduce pressure points and ensure the best possible body alignment.
A happier, healthier me
Since commencing my basic stretching routine, I have noticed huge improvements. The aches and pains are diminishing, I feel more flexible and mobile which has complimented my performance in the gym and on the football pitch and overall, I feel happier.
BGL invests time and money in the wellbeing of its staff and I’m glad I have started to make the most of these services. Improving mobility and physical conditioning is now a genuine interest of mine and I’m even starting to look at yoga or pilates which are also offered on site here at BGL.
While having a massage to relieve stress or aches and pains is nothing new, having one at work is a fantastic idea and one way companies can help their people to better combine work and wellbeing. BGL has grasped this but I expect it to be more widespread in years to come as companies continue to focus on their employee work/life balance.
