York Hospital staff get set for Workout at Work Day

Staff at York Hospital have been learning how simple small changes can lead to a fitter and healthier lifestyle by taking part in the UK’s fifth Workout at Work Day on 19 June.

Thousands of workers nationwide took part in the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s initiative, which aims to encourage employees to avoid poor work habits and take more exercise. The day also highlights to employers the benefits of having a fitter and healthier workforce.

York Hospital staff from the corporate and cardiology teams took up the Cardiac Rehabilitation Challenge performing a warm up, circuit station functional exercises at different levels followed by a cool down in the hospital physio gym.

Nicky Cockerill, Cardiac Rehabilitation Advanced Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Workout at Work Day is a great way for us to encourage staff to improve their health and take more exercise alongside showcasing the therapy services that our cardiac rehabilitation clients participate in to share experiences.

“Cardiac rehabilitation is a vital part of the care of people living with heart disease and aerobic exercises are designed to strengthen the heart, improve circulation and lower blood pressure. We put our own staff through their paces to get them to think about how they could build physical activity into their working day and have a healthier heart.”

Workout at Work Day aims to improve public health, reduce sickness absence and promote the important role which physiotherapy plays in keeping people 'fit for work'.

22 June 2015