The new 45-minute show, coming to Disney+ on November 17, 2020, is aptly titled The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special. But this special bears only a surface resemblance to the Wookie-tastic Life Day extravaganza that CBS unleashed upon the world in 1978.

According to Disney+, while the special will involve Chewbacca and the Wookie planet, Kashyyyk, the story itself will take place "directly following the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." The story will focus on Rey in as she and BB-8 prepare for Life Day. Said preparations will find them traveling to a Jedi Temple where time-travel shenanigans abound, causing Rey to come "into contact with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Yoda, Obi-Wan and other iconic heroes and villains from all nine Skywalker saga films."

"We wanted to give a wink and a nod to the original," executive producer Josh Rimes told USA Today,adding that the special would be inspired by a host of holiday classics, including It's a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon'sChristmas Vacation, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles

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Star Wars is getting an awesome Disney+ holiday special this year - Looper

Through ups and downs of abortion access during COVID-19, there continues to be little awareness of the existence of abortion pillslet alone that they can be used for safe and effective self-managed abortions. (VAlaSiurua, licensed underCC BY-SA 4.0)

In September 2019, when Anna Reed and Antonia Piccone decided to create apodcastaboutself-managed abortions, they had no idea just how timely their project would be.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic hasintensified barriers to abortion care in the United States. Anti-abortion elected officials havetaken advantageby deeming abortions non-essential, limiting options and delaying care for people who do not want to be pregnant. Pregnant people areworriedabout risking exposure to the virus while seeking abortion care at a clinic. And while other medical services moved to telehealth, in many states, abortion care waspreventedfrom following suit.

This led to increased public criticism of theunnecessary restrictionsplaced on abortion pills in the United States. Then, in mid-July, a federal judge in Marylandruledthat the FDA must suspend guidance that forced patients to obtain mifepristone, the abortion pill, in-person. This means that patients may nowreceivemifepristone from their providers through the mail.

Despite the ups and downs of abortion access during COVID-19, there continues to be little awareness of the existence of abortion pills, let alone that they can be used forsafe and effectiveself-managed care. And yet, this is exactly the knowledge that people need and deserve during the pandemicand always!

As theAmbassadors of Informationprogram manager withPlan Can organization that works in education and research related to self-managed abortions with pillsI am constantly looking for the best ways to educate the public on abortion pills and how they can be accessed.

Then, one day in May, I received an email from one of our ambassadors of information, Antonia Piccone. She, along with Anna Reed, had createdSelf-Managed: An Abortion Story in Eight Parts: a podcast that centers real peoples stories in an effort to demystify the practice of self-managed abortion, they say.

And it truly succeeds in this effort.

I had the opportunity to sit down (over a video call) with Reed and Piccone to discussSelf-Managedwhat led them to create it and what they have learned since releasing it.

This information has been gatekept and it shouldnt be, said Piccone, a doula. How can we make information about our bodies and this process public, accessible and free?

The answer to this question was to create a podcast, as audio provides a more intimate quality to the content. It felt like the medium for the subject, Reed added, nodding.

Reed, a sex educator and youth advocate, went on to explain that information about self-managed abortions tends to be dark, intense and institutional.

The goal ofSelf-Managedwas to, instead, lightheartedly share frameworks for mutual aid, community-building and self-care.

There is more curiosity for self- and community-care, Piccone noted, particularly in light of the most recentuprisingsforracial justice. We are witnessing a global reckoningas people grapple with the ways in which COVID-19 and institutionalized racism have disproportionately thwarted Black peoples right to bodily autonomy.

Here atMs., our team is continuing to report throughthis global health crisisdoing what we can to keep you informed andup-to-date on some of the most underreported issues of thispandemic.Weask that you consider supporting our work to bring you substantive, uniquereportingwe cant do it without you. Support our independent reporting and truth-telling for as little as $5 per month.

Theysituate their podcast in this broader context and acknowledge alongside their interviewees the recent criminal prosecutions of people who have ended their own pregnancies have consistently come down on poor people and people of color. This must be held central in education and activism on self-managed care.

Reed and Piccone make it clear that they do not see themselves as experts in self-managed careinstead, they say, theyre learning alongside listeners.

How cool that we can make our learning process available to others! Reed exclaimed. The main inquiry was, How can we learn? Which took us to Who is doing this work? Who are the helpers?

I think there is a Mr. Rogers quote about that! I responded.

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.

ThroughSelf-Managed: An Abortion Story in Eight Parts, Reed and Piccone have shown us the helpersfromSusan Yanow, a long-time activist for self-managed access, to people who arehelping themselves, by self-managing their abortion care.

As the ups and downs of abortion access during COVID-19 continue, we cannot stop educating ourselves and others about the option of self-managed abortions with pills.

Reed and Piccone have provided us with a timely, rich and approachable way to gain the knowledge that we need and deserve.

Self-Managed: An Abortion Story in Eight Partsand accompanying resources can be found in both Spanish and English onsmapodcast.org, as well as onApple PodcastsandSpotify. For more information about this podcast, please contact Reed and Piccone atselfmanaged.podcast@gmail.comorsmapodcast@protonmail.com.

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Podcast on Self-Managed Abortions: This Information Has Been Gatekept and It Shouldn't Be - Ms. Magazine

Thanksgiving is going to be ugly this year. Theres a real chance the public wont know who won the White House weeks after Election Day, and rather than feeling grateful, leaders in both parties are peddling grievances nonstop. Before the voting has begun, Americans have been told not to trust the outcome.

And the worst offenders are the people who think they believe in the process just as they prepare to tear the country apart if they lose.

A bipartisan group of 100 or so left-wing luminaries, institutional graybeards and never-Trumpers came together to work on what they named the Transition Integrity Project, their response to their conviction that President Donald Trump will contest the result by both legal and extra-legal means.

The group claims to take no position on how Americans should vote as if the word transition isnt a giveaway. Self-awareness is not a requirement with this group. And integrity is optional.

The group released a report with a game plan on how the presidential campaigns, a compliant media and government officials could react to four likely election scenarios.

Of course, one of the outcomes was a 2016 repeatwith Trump winning the electoral college and former Vice President Joe Biden winning the popular vote.

And this is what the folks who ostensibly care about the country suggested: Team Biden could push key blue states to threaten to secede from the nation unless congressional Republicans agree to make Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico states, divide California into five states, require Supreme Court justices to retire at 70 and eliminate the Electoral Collegebecause the U.S. Constitution is toilet paper to them.

The 22-page report informed readers that the concept of election night is no longer accurate and indeed is dangerous.

To the authors violence on the streets is a problem. Not because antifa and Black Lives Matter protesters have enabled anarchists to torch American cities. The report warns that Trumps people have every incentive to try to turn peaceful pro-Biden (or anti-Trump) protests violent in order to generate evidence that a Democratic victory is tantamount to mob rule.

The report is so big on peaceful protesters that it calls for specialized training on de-escalation and nonviolent techniqueswhich youd think peaceful protesters wouldnt need.

As the election looms, the report warns of the authoritarian Trumps ability to launch investigations into opponents; and his ability to use Department of Justice and/or the intelligence agencies to cast doubt on election results or discredit his opponents. Also, the Trump administration also could leak classified documents and fuel manufactured rumors.

Which sounds an awful lot like the Russian probe, with salacious gossip in a so-called dossier, launched under President Barack Obama. How do they not see that?

I wont name the Transition Integrity Projects participants, though their names have been made public. Suffice it to say that youve seen them lecturing Americans on cable TV against Trumps reckless rhetoric and his inability to see that the White House belongs not to him but to the people.

The groups report notes that Trump told Fox News Chris Wallace that he might not accept the results of the election and that voting by mail is going to rig the election. That July interview was used as justification for their June matrix games on what to do when the election results are in. They fear that Trump will be a poor loser as they contend they can wring concessions if he wins.

They also fear Team Trump will provoke Team Biden into subverting norms.

But really, its pretty clear that to get Team Biden to subvert norms, all Trump has to do is win.

(Creators Syndicate)

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Spouting radical ideas in 2020 | Keizertimes | You think you know. To be sure, read Keizertimes. - Keizertimes

TRENTON, NJ - There could be renewed hope for the 1,100 or so gyms and health clubs across New Jersey, whose rowing machines, treadmills and elliptical machines have been powered down since the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Phil Murphy revealed that while he was conducting Friday's COVID-19 briefing, members of his administration were meeting behind the scenes with representatives of the Gym Owners' Association to hatch a plan where they could safely open.

We are trying to find a way to get to both indoor dining and get gyms open, Murphy said. We take their concerns very seriously.

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Gyms have been closed since Murphy issued executive order 157 on March 16. Exercise enthusiasts have had to settle for outdoor training and one-on-one fitness classes ever since.

Murphy who has famously repeated the mantras "Public health creates economic health" and "Data determines dates" since the early stages of the pandemic got two bits of good news on Friday.

The transmission rate - that is, how many people someone with COVID-19 on average will infect - fell below the crucial 1.0 mark. Also, the rate of positivity was also low (1.63).

Murphy stopped short of saying that he would move to reopen gyms and restaurants if those stats continued their positive trend.

My guess is that were going to have to continue to see good numbers and that there will be significant parameters, he said.

Murphy has felt the pressure to re-open gyms and fitness centers for months. Atilis Gym in Bellmawr has made national headlines after owners Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti opened May 18 in defiance Murphy's order.

Order 157 also shut down indoor dining. Murphy aimed to reopen restaurants with limited seating on July 2, but he reneged on the deal because of a last-minute spike in COVID-19 cases attributed to out-of-state travel.

Link:
Could Murphy Be Getting Ready to Re-Open Gyms, Fitness Centers? - TAPinto.net

Goal setting and accomplishments within the health and fitness industry are a huge driving force.

Setting goals can be very specific, unique, and hard hitting to an individual. As a coach it is important that my clients have a clear vision and well thought out plan of attack.

However, a lot of us get caught up on outsider response. Praise and affirmation can begin to take the forefront of our minds, drowning out the original goal.

Once we start to strive for recognition, praise, or the approval of others, we start to strive for things for all the wrong reasons, all of which will whirlwind into straying off track.

Yes, enthusiasm, focus, and drive need to go with those goals. However, that does not mean we need to feel down if we are not getting the affirmations or attention from outsiders. Recognition from others should not be the driving force.

If we always strive for recognition we will be let down. There is something that cannot be attained by human interaction. There is something deeper within the heart that requires more than the reaction or interaction of another human being. It comes down to what we believe about ourselves, what our core values are, what we portray ourselves as, and how we carry ourselves within the community as well as on the gym floor.

Fishing for recognition will lead to let downs.

Searching for words or affirmations from a trainer, accountability partner, or others will not hit goals.

You are the only person who can give your 100% every single day in order to hit those accomplishments. All of it comes down to how bad you want to train, how much you nail your nutrition plan, how you approach each day, how your attitude and spirit impact your daily disciplines.

Dig deeper into who you are and do not rely on external recognition. Once you find what truly drives you, who you really are, and what you want for your life, outsider response will no longer have an impact on how you approach your goals.

Ashleigh Seely is the owner of Trapper Fitness Center.

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Fitness Column: Outsider opinions have nothing to do with your goals - Craig Daily Press

Hy-Vee, Inc. announces that Hy-Vee KidsFit is launching a free, downloadable Wellness Week guide. The guide includes in-person, virtual, and hybrid methods to help students prioritize healthy choices in school and at home.

This school year, Hy-Vee KidsFit is offering the free Wellness Week guide consisting of a downloadable toolkit that contains fun education-based activities, at-home assignments, and challenges that encourage healthy lifestyles and physical exercise. The program is designed for students of all ages and abilities in an effort to connect school to home with family participation.

This fall, 50 schools across Hy-Vees eight-state-region will host Hy-Vee KidsFit Wellness Week devoted to educating students about the importance of nutrition and fitness. Students will complete daily activities, physical challenges, and assignments for the chance to earn prizes. Participating schools will receive:

Schools will have the chance to win:

During these unique circumstances, Hy-Vee remains committed to building relationships with schools across its eight-state region, said Daira Driftmier, director of Hy-Vee KidsFit. Hy-Vee KidsFit and its flexible school wellness program helps create positive, enjoyable experiences centered on health and wellness that students will remember for years to come.

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Hy-Vee launches free, flexible health and wellness program for schools - kttn

This article is part of Stories of Change, a series of inspirational articles of the people who deliver evidence-based programs and strategies that empower communities to eat healthy and move more. It is made possible with funding from Michigan Fitness Foundation.

Before she joined Fresh Conversations, a weekly health and fitness class, Fannie Johnson, 77, was overweight and battling high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Soda pop and other high-sugar foods were part of her daily diet.

However, the northwest Detroit resident is no longer on medications for either condition and has lost weight since attending Fresh Conversations, taught by the Methodist Childrens Home Society (MCHS) in Detroit. She also no longer drinks soda, just one of many changes she has made to her diet and daily health regimen.

My doctor, who told me to lose a little weight, cant believe the change in me, Johnson says. Stopping pop was a really big thing. It has a lot of sugar, but I dont drink coffee anymore either. I eat more vegetables and fewer sweets because I read labels.

MCHS began offering the Fresh Conversations program in the spring of 2019. It is funded with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) grants from Michigan Fitness Foundation. SNAP-Ed is an education program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that teaches those eligible for SNAP how to live healthier lives. As a State Implementing Agency for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, MFF offers competitive grant funding for local and regional organizations to conduct SNAP-Ed programming throughout Michigan.

Sixty-minute Fresh Conversations program sessions for seniors are run by MCHS and are offered at community centers and other sites in Detroit. The programs goal is to help seniors make changes in their diet and fitness routines to curtail chronic diseases and promote healthy aging. The sessions help promote healthy food and beverage choices.

Its truly a conversation, says Norvena Wilson, associate director of senior programs for MCHS, a licensed, nonprofit childcare agency serving children and families in Michigan. Theyre not only learning from facilitators who run the classes but also from each other, from their peers in similar situations. Theyre learning how their peers have incorporated healthy eating and physical activities into their lifestyles.

Norvena Wilson.

Led by Valerie Middlebrook, a retired high school teacher and former head coach of varsity basketball and track and cross country, the classes include conversations about nutrition, healthy eating, demonstrations of low-impact exercises, and simple stretches participants can easily do at home. Each class includes a healthy recipe and a newsletter.

Its important for them to incorporate those exercises at home, says Middlebrook, who also teaches aerobics and stretch classes regularly. I incorporate activities they can do at home with stretch bands to help build muscular strength. They can exercise sitting down or stepping in place listening to music. Its important to continue to be active.

Valerie Middlebrook.

Barriers for the program include lack of transportation to community centers or other sites where the classes are held, and lack of fresh produce and food in the city.

Detroit is really a food desert, Middlebrook says. A lot of people dont have access to healthy food markets in their neighborhoods. There are only 70 grocery stores in the city and not all of them are full-service grocery stores. As a result, the food at convenience stores and other types of stores might not be fresh.

She notes that there are nine to 10 fast-food restaurants per grocery store in the city, whose population hovers around 670,000 people.

Unhealthy options far outnumber the fresh markets in the city, she says. People can find whatever they want when it comes to fast food, but finding fruits and vegetables can be a problem.

Publicized through community centers and faith-based organizations, Fresh Conversations classes were held regularly until the statewide shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Suspended for over 12 weeks, the classes have recently resumed through telephone conference calls and will continue through mid-August. Conference calls are offered during two different time slots, twice a week.

Participants will not have to drive anywhere or use a computer, Wilson says, noting that transportation is not an issue with this way of delivering the program. We mail them the class materials and they call the class telephone hotline. Its important that we can keep in touch with them and keep encouraging healthy lifestyles.

The ultimate goal remains helping senior citizens find ways to incorporate healthy food and physical activities that resonate with their lifestyle and enable them to make long-term changes.

What were finding is that small changes make a difference, Wilson says.

Thats been the case for Johnson, who has continued to exercise on her own during the pandemic. Shes also implemented many dietary changes that she learned from Fresh Conversations. Shes started cooking from home more frequently instead of relying on fast food, whipping up dishes like black bean burgers, oatmeal, and macaroni and cheese that uses cauliflower instead of pasta.

I learned from Valerie that you got to get back to the kitchen, Johnson says. It makes a big difference.

Fannie Johnson.

Johnson notes that she has also seen lifestyle changes in her peers.

Its not only me, she says. Ive seen other people doing better. I think your mental health is better when you exercise. I think some senior citizens were just home and werent doing anything and getting depressed. And now were doing all kinds of things and staying busy in our own homes.

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Fresh Conversations program helps Detroit seniors change dietary and fitness habits for the better - Concentrate

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 13, 2020) Hy-Vee, Inc. announces today that Hy-Vee KidsFit is launching a free, downloadable Wellness Week guide. The guide includes in-person, virtual and hybrid methods to help students prioritize healthy choices in school and at home.

This school year, Hy-Vee KidsFit is offering the free Wellness Week guide consisting of a downloadable toolkit that contains fun education-based activities, at-home assignments and challenges that encourage healthy lifestyles and physical exercise. The program is designed for students of all ages and abilities in an effort to connect school to home with family participation.

This fall, 50 schools across Hy-Vees eight-state-region will host Hy-Vee KidsFit Wellness Week devoted to educating students about the importance of nutrition and fitness. Students will complete daily activities, physical challenges and assignments for the chance to earn prizes. Participating schools will receive:

A $250 Hy-Vee KidsFit health and wellness grant upon completion of program survey

Hy-Vee KidsFit cloth masks

Hy-Vee KidsFit hand sanitizer

Schools will have the chance to win:

Fitbits

Hy-Vee KidsFit T-shirts

Hy-Vee KidsFit All-Ability and Sensory Hallway Movement Break Kits to ease the hardships of physical activity for students with special needs and abilities

During these unique circumstances, Hy-Vee remains committed to building relationships with schools across its eight-state region, said Daira Driftmier, director of Hy-Vee KidsFit. Hy-Vee KidsFit and its flexible school wellness program helps create positive, enjoyable experiences centered on health and wellness that students will remember for years to come.

Hy-Vee KidsFit is an at-home program that has promoted health, exercise and nutrition among kids and families since 2015. To learn more about Hy-Vee KidsFit, join the Hy-Vee KidsFit Club or to receive a free downloadable wellness kit, visit hy-veekidsfit.com. If you are a school representative who would like to register your school to participate, please email KidsFit@hy-vee.com.

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Hy-Vee KidsFit Launches Free, Flexible Health and Wellness Program for Schools - redlakenationnews.com

Gym owners and elected officials spoke on the need to reopen gyms while at the Saw Mill Club in Mt. Kisco Aug. 13, 2020. Rockland/Westchester Journal News

MOUNT KISCO Local fitness clubownersoutlined Thursdaythe social distancing, sanitizingand othersafety measures they will useas they pushedfor the state to starta discussionabout reopening gyms, following theirstatewide shutdown since March due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.

"We're ready to be open today," Rick Beusman, owner of Saw Mill Club East, saidin response to a reporter's question during a news conferenceat the club on North Bedford Road. But hesaid he and others understandand wantto have adiscussionwith the state.

A plan has been submittedfor how fitness centers couldreopen, but "we haven't gotten any specific responses, besides some generalities" from the state, said Beusman,who sits on the board of the New York State Fitness Alliance, whichsubmittedtheplan in Albany.

"A big message today is that we consider ourselves to be an essential business in our local communities," he said.

Rick Beusman, owner of the Saw Mill Club in Mt. Kisco, speaks at a press conference to demonstrate safety measures put into place to reopen indoor activities Aug. 13, 2020. Local fitness center owners and elected officials took part in the news conference at the Saw Mill Club in Mt. Kisco.(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./Poughkeepsie Journal)

At Saw Mill Club East, for instance, 50 percent of the cardio equipment has been removed to allow for better social distancing, Beusman said. Classeshave been reduced to less than half their previous sizes. Masks are required. Temperatures would betaken of people who arrive.There will be reservation and check-in usingphone apps to reserve training time slots and to restrictclass sizes.

Gyms had been slated to reopen under the state's Phase 4 reopening plan. ButGov. Andrew Cuomosaid earlier this year that they are to remainclosed until the state better understandshow the virus mightspread bywater droplets and air conditioning within indoor spaces.

Beusman said Saw Mill Club East is among fitness centers that want to work with the governor and officials in Albany. "We understand the reticence and concern the governor has. We think it's unfounded," he said, "but we simply want to be able to work this out."

Saw Mill Club East and some other fitness centers are not pursuing the matter through the courts.

LAWSUITS:Local gyms, yoga studios try to stay afloat as they sue NY, challenging indoor use ban

GYMS:No locker rooms or towels and mandatory temperature checks: Welcome back to the gym

But morethan 2,000 fitness-related businesses in New York havejoined a class actionthat seeks both an injunction preventing the state from continuing to ban general fitness gyms, CrossFit gyms and yoga and pilates studios from indoor operation. The suit also seeks financial compensation for the time they've been closed. The lawyerwhofiled the suit has said there'spotential loss of 60,000 to 90,000 jobs ifgyms and exercise studios permanently shut down and thatthe gyms can be operatedsafely.

On Thursday in Mount Kisco, areafitnessclubowners highlighted physical and mental health as reasonsto reopen and showed a video oftestimonials by people who in support. People who'vespent months at home during the effort to curb COVID-19's spread may have also experienced health issues including weight gain, which isassociated with diabetes and heart disease and which can befactors tied toserious COVID-19 cases.

"I applaud the quick action by the governor ... we should be thankful that we live in a state that's taking the issue seriously," said Bill Beck, president of Club Fitin Briarcliff Manor and Jefferson Valley. But hesaid exercise is a foundation for good health and people who do sohave improvedresistance to disease and better outcomes in fighting illness.

"Governor Cuomo talked about a program in New York to offer mental health resources to any New Yorker who needs it," Beck said."Well, if we could get back to health clubs we might need less of that. Let's do all that we can to help our community get in better shape through movement."

Beck said last month that Club Fit has been readyingfor months for reopening,including removingequipmentto create more distancing in itsfitness center and movingequipment to other areasthat had had different uses so that people have more workout space.

Several elected officialsexpressedsupport at the news conference for moving the discussions alongabout reopening, but did not expresslycall forimmediate reopening.

Mount Kisco Mayor Gina Picinich said the Beusman family openedSaw Mill Club Eastin thevillage in the 1970s and have been atthe forefront of promoting health and fitness. Over the years, more health clubs and gymsopened, she said,contributing to area villages and towns in other ways too.

"It's about being generous;it's about being philanthropic; they were good corporate citizens" forthe health of the local economy," Picinich said. "So it's really importantthat these employees are able to bring back their employees to help drive the health of our local economy as well."

State Sen. Peter Harckham said thecoalition of fitness clubs seeking a responsefromthe state is"here in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation" and this is"about a constructive partnershipas to howthis industry can safely open up."

State Senator Peter Harckham speaks at a press conference to talk about reopening indoor activities while at the Saw Mill Club in Mt. Kisco Aug. 13, 2020. Local fitness center owners and elected officials took part in the news conference at the Saw Mill Club.(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./Poughkeepsie Journal)

The sentiment of Thursday's news conference was echoed in astatement posted on the website of The Arena, a fitness center located in a Westchester Avenue office complexin White Plains.

"Extended periods of isolation is not only bad for the mind, but impacts the immune system and overall health," wrote owner Charles DeFrancesco. "While initially locking down was the correct course of action, many experts believe we need to pay more attention to the consequences at this point.

Michael McKinney covers northern Westchester.Follow him on Twitter@mikemckwrite.Visitoffers.lohud.comto sign up for a subscription.

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Westchester fitness clubs to state leaders: Respond to the reopening plan - The Journal News

13 Tips for Manufacturing Employees Restarting Work

As standard operations and the pace of production starts to revert to normal, both employers and employees must consider the possibility of physical deconditioning.

Manufacturing jobs are often physically demanding. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many employees with non-essential jobs spent months either not working or working reduced hours. As standard operations and the pace of production starts to revert to normal, both employers and employees must consider the possibility of physical deconditioningnegative changes to the body that develop over time due to reduced physical activity. Restarting work after physical deconditioning occurs places employees at higher risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). It can also affect production standards by reducing employee productivity and product quality.

As you restart work, you may notice some of the following:

Reduced muscle strength

The average adult can lose up to three percent of muscle strength per day. Over the course of multiple weeks, it is easy to see how a noticeable reduction in strength might occur if an individual is maintaining sedentary behavior.

Reduced cardiovascular fitness and physical endurance

Much like your muscles, over time your heart can lose strength with a lack of physical activity. A weaker heart makes it more challenging to quickly pump blood to working muscles during physical activity. This will cause the body to fatigue more quickly due to less oxygen and energy molecules getting to the working muscles. Less oxygen getting to your muscles and tissue means lactic acid build-up; this will contribute to earlier muscle fatigue and delayed-onset muscle soreness following the activity.

Reduced range of motion

Extended periods of time with reduced activity will likely limit ones ability to extend or bend certain body segments. Your bodys joints will have less elasticity and youll experience increased muscle stiffness. This may require you to change the way you complete certain tasks when returning to work in order to reduce the risk of muscle strain.

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13 Tips for Manufacturing Employees Restarting Work - Occupational Health and Safety