Stretch and flex, warm up, get ready

• Before you start work each day, it’s smart to loosen the muscles you use most frequently on the job or on the site site before actually beginning any work that requires heavy lifting or strenuous activity.

• Lower back pain is the most common complaint among tradesmen and service workers, followed closely by shoulder, neck, knee and ankle injuries.

• Doing some low back stretches, incorporating aerobic exercise and strength training, will assist in both decreasing your pain and lowering chances of the injury happening again.

• Stretches can also increase the strength of supporting muscles to keep you working your best.