MORE ACTION - LESS PAIN – Sports, workout and a proactive approach to pain are key to a new Elastoplast initiative

The new Elastoplast initiative, More Action – Less Pain, wants to get you moving. Because being more fit and active will help to reduce illness, injury and pain.

Co-founder and Chairman of the initiative, orthopaedic specialist Dr Gerd Müller, says: "No more excuses – start moving today!"

In collaboration with Dr Gerd Müller, orthopaedic specialist and head physician at Hamburg’s renowned Spine Center, Elastoplast has developed the More Action – Less Pain initiative not only to relieve pain in the short term, but also to get people to be more proactive about their fitness and relieve their pain long term. How? By exercising at an appropriate level.

“EXERCISING NOW WILL
RELIEVE ACHES AND
PREVENT PAIN IN THE
LONG RUN”

The holistic approach of More Action – Less Pain takes today’s modern lifestyles into account. See our video section for a variety of tips and exercises tailored to desk-bound office workers. 

Dr Gerd Müller is an orthopaedic surgeon and co-founder of one of Germany’s leading back clinics, the Spine Center in Hamburg. His clinical focus is on sports medicine, preventative treatment, and back and neck pain, as well as rehabilitation of muscular and skeletal diseases. Dr Müller also studies multidisciplinary pain management and occupational health management and was Co-chairman of the EU Commission for Back Pain.

Have you ever suffered a pain or immobility that has made everyday life not only tedious but almost impossible? Most people have to live through this experience at least once in their lives.

Whether it’s your back or neck, a knee or an elbow that are affected, whether wrist or ankle pain – they can be prevented. And none need drag on or be taken as fatal blows or long-term disabilities if you know what to do and are proactive.

As an expert in pain treatment, Elastoplast has risen to the challenge.

 Together with renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr Gerd Müller, co-founder of Hamburg’s renowned Spine Center, we have begun the More Action - Less Pain initiative, based on the concept of graded fitness.

Our goal – to make you fit (again) for everyday life!

“Graded activity is my central concept”, explains Dr Gerd Müller. “It is medically and scientifically proven that graded physical activity is not only probably the most important measure in preventing orthopaedic conditions, it is also therapeutic and beneficial for most of them.”

When we are inactive or rest for long periods of time, we lose muscle tone and our bodies become unfit. Actually, it hurts when you start using your muscles again – a bit like taking a leg out of a cast, when the leg might be swollen and every movement is something you have to get used to again. But activity will soon take care of this!

Being inactive for too long or not working out is never a good idea, even in cases of back pain.

“In my practice I see a lot of patients who suffer from joint or back pain”, says Dr Müller. Mostly it is the so-called 'avoiders' who are affected. People who stay away from activity and don’t make the most of their physical capacities.

START WITH WHERE
YOU'RE AT IN TERMS
OF FITNESS

That’s why I have chosen to participate in and help develop Elastoplast’s More Action – Less Pain initiative, which consists of a made-to-measure activity programme based on the concept of graded activity (starting very slowly and increasing over time), while incorporating Elastoplast’s specialised products for pain relief and treatment. Let’s go!”

What does graded activity mean?

Graded activity means starting where someone is at in terms of fitness and increasing over time. A fitness routine based on graded activity is all about avoiding extremes, which is key for both avoiders (couch potatoes who stay away from exercise) and those who push themselves too hard while exercising. The concept of graded activity is therefore based on exercise sessions with a preset number of repetitions or amount of time, increasing slowly. This avoids the usual 'push-crash' cycle of over-exercising or not exercising at all due to concern about relapse or pain.

"It is important to know that there is no such thing as bad or harmful activity", says Dr Müller, "Unless you do too much of a good thing. This can only happen when people stretch their limits, over-exercise or do too much of a monotonous activity that will put unusual strain on a certain body part."

A misconception. Some people think that suffering from back pain will prevent them from being active and working out. In most cases, avoiding physical activity will only increase the pain and condition. Why? Because the body will react by decreasing muscle tissue and bone mass, which in turn will lead to more stiffness and soreness, which will only increase pain. Pain will likely occur if the capacity of your body is not sufficient to match the requirements of your everyday life or given task. Instead of avoiding the task, it is better to increase your abilities.

Therefore, the trick is to stay active whatever you do, and work on your fitness continually and gradually. (Yes, even if you have suffered an injury.) There are even psychological benefits: your body will also produce hormones that will reduce pain and lift your mood. “People who understand that there is a lot they can do for their own fitness and in order to prevent aches and strains will experience less pain”, says Dr Müller. “You are responsible for your own health, so be proactive about it.”

Also, don’t use a slight injury or impediment as an excuse for not exercising. This is very important – especially on a psychological level – as more activity will benefit you more than resting.

How fit are you? Start by assessing your current fitness and take it from there. Find out by starting with some simple running or a fitness class. Then find out whether you are an achiever or an avoider.

Some people tend to overestimate themselves and do too much. Once they experience pain, they see this as proof of their body not cooperating. They tend to lose interest in the activity. Those are the over-achievers. The avoiders are afraid that they will experience pain or that they might damage something in their bodies. Both set different priorities – but sooner or later the body will set the priorities straight... So the sooner you realise how important activity is, the better.

Find an activity you like.

Run, go to the gym… Find the activity that's right for you and that suits your daily routine. This might mean a few trials... Challenge yourself! Sometimes it’s about doing something that might not be your strength. You need to balance out your weaknesses, which can sometimes be frustrating, but will pay off in the end.

Build up gradually and increase your level slowly…with an emphasis on 'increase' for avoiders and 'slowly' for achievers. The intensity is key.

Also, work against your preferences: in addition to an activity that you like and that feels natural to you, you may also need to focus on your weaknesses rather than your strengths

There are things you can do in everyday life too to prevent muscle strains and soreness.

• Dynamic sitting
  Change your seating position as often as possible. Stretch your legs, sit upright and stretch your spine. Lean back and experiment with different positions.
• Phone prone?
  Do you squeeze the receiver of your phone between your neck and shoulders while talking? Don’t do this – it could cause a one-sided strain.
• Exercise during the day
  Press both hands and arms on the arms of your chair and press upwards stretching your arms. This will lengthen your spine and give more mobility to your shoulders and neck.
• Visit our video library for more exercises.

• Be active
  It’s perseverance that counts – stay active and try to exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes each time.
• Be patient 
  Try to get back to your old level of fitness if you have suffered a setback due to injury or illness. Be patient – building muscle tissue can take three to six months.
• Be confident
  Practise your balance, important to prevent falls, which might cause serious bone injury. An easy exercise: stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. Take it one step further by closing your eyes while doing so.
• Visit our video library for more exercises

• Variety
  Try to train all of your physical skills in your workout equally by practising endurance (cardio) and flexibility exercises. A monotonous workout will not train all your muscle groups or ligaments.
• Good shoes
  Are essential because stability in your ankles and knees will travel further up to your spine. The right footwear can thus help prevent pain and a wrong gait or posture while running.
• Time for regeneration
  Allow your muscles to regenerate after exhausting training sessions for two to three days. Always see to it that you drink enough and go for a diet high in carbs as well as proteins.
• Visit our video library for more exercises

Please note that none of the tips above replace professional medical advice. Consult a health expert in case of an injury or if you suspect overuse of joints or a medical condition such as a fracture. A physician should be consulted in those acute cases when the condition is accompanied by reddening, swelling or hyperthermia of joints, ongoing joint trouble or severe pain and/or are associated with neurological symptoms (e.g. numbness, tingling, loss of motion).

For further information about Elastoplast products, please contact us at consumer.relations.uk@beiersdorf.com 

Please read the instructions for use given in our product packaging with care.