When Standing, Sitting, and Classroom Work Leaves You Teachers Aching

When you think of a physically demanding job, what are some of the first thoughts you have? Surely our Cadets at the Air Force Academy have a sizeable amount of physical and mental work to be putting into their daily tasks. Construction workers are constantly being shifted from scene to scene. Trainers at the gym are not living an easy life style either. However, have you ever considered the physical demands our teachers have? Teaching may not immediately come to mind when you think of a physically demanding job. However, think of what they do on a day-to-day basis. They spend a full school day moving around a classroom, standing during lessons, leaning over desks, both their own along with their students who are sizeably smaller than them. Don’t forget about the roles of sitting at a computer, carrying supplies, looking down while grading papers, and then going home to finish whatever didn’t get done during the day.

Your body has been working too.

If you’re a teacher in Colorado Springs dealing with a tight low back, tired legs, neck and shoulder tension, or that general feeling that everything is stiff by the end of the week, you aren’t necessarily looking for someone to diagnose what is wrong with you. Sometimes you simply want your body to feel better after everything you ask it to do. That’s where therapeutic massage may fit into your schedule!

Teachers Don’t Spend the Entire Day Sitting or Standing

One reason I wanted to write specifically about teachers is that your workday can involve a little bit of everything. You may spend part of the day standing. Then you’re sitting at a computer. Then you’re bending over someone’s desk. Then you’re walking around the classroom. Then you’re carrying something down the hallway. Then you’re back at the computer answering emails or entering grades. Research examining musculoskeletal disorders among teachers has reported that the neck, lower back, shoulders, and upper back are among the commonly affected areas. That doesn’t mean teaching automatically causes pain, and it doesn’t tell us what is causing an individual teacher’s symptoms. It does tell us that physical discomfort among teachers is worth taking seriously.

Tell Me What Your School Day Actually Looks Like

If you come to Inspire Movements with low back tension, I don’t want to make assumptions simply because you’re a teacher. I want to know what your day looks like. Are you standing most of the day? Are you sitting more than people would expect? Are you constantly moving between the floor, desks, and standing? Do you notice your neck bothering you after grading or computer work? Does your back feel fine in the morning but progressively tighter as the school day continues? Do your legs feel tired after spending hours on your feet? Does something completely different bother you? Those details give me more useful information than your job title alone.

Your Massage Doesn’t Need to Follow a “Teacher Routine”

There isn’t one massage every teacher needs. Two teachers from the same school could walk into my office with completely different goals. One might want most of the appointment focused on low back and hip tension. Another might be much more concerned about their neck and shoulders. Someone else might feel generally worn down after a demanding week and want several areas addressed. That is why I don’t want your occupation to dictate your entire massage. It gives me context. Your actual symptoms, preferences, history, and goals determine how we use the appointment.

Standing All Day Isn’t Necessarily Better Than Sitting All Day

We hear a lot about the problems associated with sitting, but being on your feet for long periods can also be uncomfortable. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has reviewed research on prolonged standing at work and reported associations with low back discomfort, physical fatigue, muscle pain, tiredness, and other symptoms. The answer isn’t for me to tell every teacher to sit more. Your classroom, responsibilities, health, and body are individual. What can be useful is noticing patterns. When during your day do you start feeling uncomfortable? Does changing positions help? Does walking feel different from standing in one place? Does sitting provide relief, or does sitting create a completely different problem? That information can also be useful if you discuss your symptoms with an appropriate healthcare professional.

What I Want to Know Before We Start Your Massage

You don’t need to know anatomical terminology. Tell me what you’re actually experiencing.

You can tell me:

• Where you feel tension/discomfort
• When you notice it during your school day
• What positions seem to aggravate it
• What activities feel better
• Whether anything has recently changed
• Whether you have previous injuries or relevant surgeries
• Whether another healthcare professional has given you restrictions or recommendations
• What you want from today’s massage

That gives us a much better starting point than simply saying, “I’m a teacher and my back hurts.”

Where Ashiatsu May Fit

For clients who enjoy broader therapeutic pressure, Ashiatsu is one of the techniques I use at Inspire Movements. Ashiatsu allows me to use my feet to deliver broad, controlled pressure while using overhead bars for balance and control. It isn’t automatically the right technique for every teacher or every painful area. The amount of pressure and the techniques I use should make sense for the person receiving the massage. More pressure isn’t automatically better, and you should never feel as though you need to tolerate uncomfortable pressure just because you booked a therapeutic massage. Communication matters.

What Massage Can and Cannot Do

Massage can be one option for people seeking help with muscular tension, stiffness, relaxation, and comfort. It is not a substitute for medical evaluation when medical evaluation is appropriate. I also won’t tell you that a particular muscle, posture, classroom chair, or years of teaching are definitely the “root cause” of your pain. Pain can be complicated. If you have severe, unexplained, new, or worsening symptoms, significant weakness or numbness, symptoms following a serious injury, or other concerning changes in your health, seek evaluation from an appropriate healthcare professional. Massage therapists have a defined scope of practice, and knowing when something belongs outside that scope is part of responsible care.

You Don’t Have to Wait Until Summer Break

Teachers have a habit of putting things off.

“I’ll deal with it over fall break.”

“I’ll make an appointment over winter break.”

“I just need to make it to summer.”

If muscular tension or stiffness is already affecting how comfortable you feel during your normal day, you don’t necessarily have to wait until the school calendar gives you permission to take care of yourself. You can decide whether massage makes sense based on what you’re experiencing now.

Therapeutic Massage for Teachers in Colorado Springs

At Inspire Movements Massage Therapy, I work with people whose jobs and everyday activities place different demands on their bodies. Your massage isn’t determined by your profession. It’s shaped around you. If you’re a teacher in Colorado Springs dealing with muscular tension, stiffness, or several areas you’d like addressed, we can talk about what you’re experiencing and determine whether a therapeutic massage appointment is an appropriate next step.

About Jessica Deardorff, LMT

Jessica Deardorff is the owner of Inspire Movements Massage Therapy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She has practiced massage therapy since 2016 and holds an active Colorado massage therapist license, MT.0021143.

Her areas of focus include low back pain, sciatica support, headaches and migraines, mobility-focused massage, therapeutic Ashiatsu, and cupping therapy.

Jessica’s approach emphasizes individualized therapeutic massage, communication, and adapting each session around the goals of the person receiving it.

Sources and Further Reading

Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Teachers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Frontiers in Public Health – available through PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Prolonged Standing at Work
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Educational disclaimer: This article provides general educational information and is not medical advice or a diagnosis. Massage therapy does not replace evaluation or treatment from an appropriate healthcare professional.