NHS NW London staff will participate in the Meta-Age Sit-to-Stand Challenge from 1 to 18 September 2024 to support National Fitness Day.
The Sit-to-Stand Challenge is a simple, everyday routine designed to improve posture, core strength, and mobility. Fitness coach and author Wayne Lèal, the creator of Meta-Age, reimagined it to transcend work activity and help yield positive effects on mental wellbeing.
Staff are being encouraged to stand up and sit down without using their hands throughout the beginning of September in the run-up to National Fitness Day. Whilst this movement may seem simple and straightforward, the challenge is to embed this behaviour into colleagues' everyday habits, helping staff exercise their muscles and sharpen their focus throughout the working week.
Rob Hurd, Chief Executive of NHS NW London said:
“Within our organisation, we have made staff physical and mental health a priority, whether it be promoting support services such as Keeping Well or signposting to apps and digital services that provide wellbeing information and advice. Promoting healthy habits can often be difficult during busy periods of work. The Sit-to-Stand Challenge is a simple way to build good habits into your working day, and Wayne's positive words have already made a big impact in motivating our staff to take part.”
Wayne Lèal, creator of Meta-Age said:
“Back pain is responsible for an estimated twelve million lost workdays annually in the UK, and the Sit-to-Stand Challenge addresses this problem head-on. It can help reduce the likelihood of back pain and related issues by strengthening the muscles supporting the spine and improving posture. It could significantly reduce absenteeism and healthcare costs, potentially saving the NHS millions of pounds annually. I want NHS staff to live with better health awareness and inspire others to do the same.”
To learn more about the challenge, watch the recent video we filmed with Wayne and some of our executive team, who demonstrated the movement. More information about the Sit-to-Stand Challenge is also available on the Meta-Age website.