A SULLY physiotherapist recruited the Health Minister for Wales for a stroll around Cardiff Bay as part of Workout at Work Day last week

Health Minister Mark Drakeford joined Sully Physiotherapist James Rind for an early morning walk to the outdoor gym in Cardiff Bay last Tuesday morning, June 3.

Deputy Skills Minister Ken Skates and Pip Ford, from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, also joined them for the walk.

The walk was to mark this year’s Workout at Work Day, which is an annual awareness day during which Chartered Physiotherapists throughout the UK undertake activity and events to highlight the importance of being active during the working day.

James said: “The key thing to remember is trying to do just a little more than you need to and link it to your daily working routine. It is very easy to sit in the car or on the bus to work, arrive at the office, and sit at your desk before doing the same thing on the way home.

“Prolonged sitting does not only increase the chances of diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, but also reduces your fitness and increases the chances of Musculoskeletal injuries such as neck and back pain.”

He added: “My top tips for being fitter through work are to try parking further from your office or get off the bus a stop earlier. Also use the stairs over the lift and make sure that you leave your desk for a walk at lunchtime. No matter how short some movement is always better than none at all.

“Being active in your day-to-day life is an important factor to maintaining good levels of fitness. It is all too easy with our technologically biased world to spend too long sitting and so risk significant problems in the coming years.”

James offers specific services and support to companies to help minimise absence from work and to maintain high levels of employee wellbeing. He also runs a Physiotherapy clinic from Redlands Surgery in Penarth, Cardiff Bay and from three sites in north Cardiff.