4 Physical Therapy Concerns that Restaurant Servers Should Be Aware Of
Working in a restaurant can be fulfilling and exciting for many reasons. The fast-paced environment, up-close customer service, and dependable hours are just some of the things that restaurant servers love about their jobs. However, the amount of time servers spend on their feet and using their muscles can take a toll, leading to injury or chronic pain.
Much like any other physical job, restaurant servers can benefit greatly from physical therapy.
Why do restaurant servers need physical therapy?
When it comes to working in a restaurant, there are a few aspects of your physical wellbeing that are particularly important.
Balance. As a server, being quick on your feet and having great balance is extremely important, especially if you’re responsible for carrying multiple items around a busy restaurant constantly. If you struggle with keeping your balance, physical therapy can help with vestibular balance training.
This treatment improves your body’s connection between its 3 main balance controllers: your vision, your vestibular (inner ear) system, and your proprioception, or your legs. With vestibular balance training, you’ll develop much better coordination and balance, improving your performance on the job and decreasing your risk of injury.
Shoulder pain. Restaurant servers tend to do a lot of lifting, carrying, and pushing when it comes to serving food, moving dishes, or even taking out the garbage. Even if you supplement your activity on the job with regular strength training exercise, nearly all servers develop some kind of injury in their shoulder.
Regular visits to the physical therapist can not only decrease pre-existing shoulder pain and improve range of motion, it can reduce the risk of further injury in the future.
Knee pain. Nearly anyone that leads an active lifestyle experiences knee pain or other joint pain at some point. Restaurant servers spend nearly the entire workday on their feet, so keeping your knees healthy is crucial to preventing injury and easing joint stress.
A physical therapist can assign specific movements for you to practice both inside and outside sessions to improve flexibility and build muscle strength, reducing the stress and pressure on your knees.
Back pain. Even if you have amazing posture, it’s likely that your back experiences some level of strain on a day-to-day basis, especially if you work a physically demanding job like serving at a restaurant.
Spinal care provided by a trained physical therapist can get rid of back pain for good with multiple therapy styles designed to improve muscle strength around the spine and boost mobility.
