These simple steps can help ease hairdresser aches and joint pain

Standing behind the chair day-in day-out as a hairdresser can play havoc on your posture and cause aches and joint pain. This can often contribute to feelings of discomfort and strength, and can get in the way of giving your best in the salon, as well as more serious Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs) such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Tendonitis. However, working simple exercises and stretches into your daily routine will help to take care of any twinges you might feel. We chat with physiotherapist Deborah Konu and Sam Villa, co-founder and chief creative officer of Sam Villa and global artistic ambassador for Redken, for their tips on the best stretches... "Hairdressers do often suffer with aches and pains due to prolonged standing over clients throughout the day," says Deborah. "A lot of these symptoms are associated with years of bad habits that need to be corrected."

Symptoms of neck and back pains caused by hairdressing

• Back aches and pain
• Neck aches pain
• Poor sleep
• Fatigue of postural muscles
• Limited range of movement upper body

"These symptoms should not be ignored as this could cause further injuries down the line," says Deborah.

What could these symptoms be or lead to?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

• Burning, tingling or itching in the palm of the hand
• Swollen fingers
• “Restless” hands
• Decreased grip strength
• Inability to decipher hot from cold by the touch

Tendonitis

• Shooting pain in the neck, shoulders, upper back, forearms, wrists and hands
• Tremors, clumsiness and numbness
• Weakness in hands or forearms
• Chronic cold hands, particularly the fingertips

What stretches can I do to tackle common hairdresser aches and joint pains?

Deborah's tips for tackling back pain? "The advise is really simple, something I tell my children all the time 'stand/sit up straight and roll your shoulders back'. This is a great start. Knowing how to adjust your body to prevent those bad habits is half the battle won." You could incorporate these simple stretches between clients or while you're at home

• Turn the head towards either the left or right shoulder, then bring the chin down towards the shoulder (feel the stretch) repeat on the other side.
• Push the chin towards the chest as far as it will go and hold for 5seconds then slowly bring the head back to a natural position.
• Sit on your hand with the palm of your hand facing the seat, then lean your head towards the opposite side.

For more serious injuries, such as CTS or tendinitis, which Deborah describes as occasionally 'debilitating', these simple stretches may help you:

• Prayer pose: bring your hands together with the wrists at a 90 degree angle.
• Hold arm out in front of you with your arm inline with shoulder. Point your fingers to the ceiling and bring your fingers back towards you, using your other hand to add a stretch to your wrist. Hold for five seconds. Relax and then repeat on the other side.
• Hold arm out in front of you with your arm inline with shoulder. Point your fingers down to the floor and bring your fingers back towards you, using your other hand to add a stretch to your wrist. Hold for five seconds. Relax and then repeat on the other side.

How can I alter my everyday techniques in the salon to help avoid hairdressers aches and joint pains?

On top of regular stretches, there are plenty of things you incorporate into your everyday routine at the salon to help prevent these issues, as outlined by Sam Villa:

• Learn correct body positioning to reduce stress.
• Strengthen finger muscles to distribute action evenly.
• Install shampoo bowls to the proper height to reduce stress from bending over.
• Utilize trolleys to minimize extra movement and weight.
• Take breaks from standing throughout the day by using rolling stools.
• Use ergonomic tools such as light-weight blow dryers and shears designed to allow hands, wrists and elbows to operate in safe positions with minimal weight. (“The importance of ergonomic design is vital to our industry. Our mission at Sam Villa is to not only make our tools lighter to alleviate weight, but we’ve also designed them to be easily operated with minimal effort to reduce stress,” explains Sam Villa.)