50% of workers say muscle pain or discomfort affects their productivity, with those impacted losing an average of 2 hours per workday, equivalent to a whole workday each week.
Over half of people experience lower back pain from doing the ‘hidden workout’ of household chores, while almost 40% experience upper back pain.
While Pilates has been named, alongside yoga, as the top activity for improving posture, only 1 in 10 people practise each week, highlighting an intention-action gap among the UK population.
Two-thirds of Brits don’t know that slouching can impact breathing, energy levels and digestion.
Complete Pilates, the Physio-led Pilates company, has released a new survey to uncover the state of the UK’s movement, muscle pain, and posture habits.
The survey sheds light on the ‘hidden everyday dangers’ causing people around the UK to experience muscle pain and stiffness, the disconnect between how people perceive their posture and the reality of their physical health, as well as the lack of systemic literacy around the health implications of poor posture.
Additionally, while Pilates has been named, alongside yoga, as the top activity for improving posture, only 1 in 10 people practise each week, highlighting an intention-action gap among the UK population.
Key insights from the survey include:
Muscle pain sees desk workers losing up to a whole day of productivity each week
The survey reveals that the UK’s productivity crisis isn't just about slow WiFi or meeting fatigue, it’s also physical.
Desk work is the most widespread reason for muscle pain, with 50% of the workforce being affected, and 1 in 2 people aged 25 to 44 saying they have experienced pain from working or sitting at a computer desk.
As a result, the average desk worker is losing two hours of productivity every single day due to muscle pain, equivalent to a full workday each week. This ‘Pain Tax’ adds up to one full working week lost every month.
62% of workers report neck pain from working or sitting at a computer desk, the single most affected body part by a wide margin.
Helen says: “Muscle pain is metabolically 'expensive' for the brain. It consumes attentional bandwidth, increases stress physiology, and reduces executive function.”
A third of people experience muscle pain or stiffness from doing household chores
While desk work might be the most common cause of muscle pain, there’s another often-overlooked, ‘hidden workout’ the majority of people do, which is also causing stiffness and muscle pain.
84% of respondents say they do chores such as cleaning, ironing and hoovering each week. 9 in 10 people aged 55+ engage in doing household chores in a typical week, compared to 85% of those aged 35-44.
Astoundingly, 2 in 5 people spend between 4-20 hours doing housework in a typical week, equivalent to doing a part-time job involving low-level manual labour.
Over half of people experience lower back pain from doing housework, while almost 40% experience upper back pain.
More than 2 in 5 people suffer from shoulder pain or stiffness after completing housework, which could come as a result of persistently reaching overhead to dust high places like shelving.
Helen says: “Chores often combine awkward positions, repetitive movement, and low endurance demands, which can overload tissues that are already deconditioned from desk-based work.”
More than half of people believe Pilates can improve overall posture, but only 1 in 10 practise Pilates in a typical week
The survey also reveals the alarming ‘aware but stagnant’ attitude many people in the UK have when it comes to improving posture and reducing muscle pain.
Pilates and Yoga are viewed as the most effective activities for postural correction. While 40% of people believe high-intensity activities like running or HIIT can help, more than half of the nation (54%) identifies Pilates as the gold standard.
2 in 5 say they would seek to improve posture in order to reduce pain and improve health. However, despite more than half of people believing that Pilates can improve overall posture, only around 1 in 10 practise Pilates in a typical week, demonstrating an ‘intention-action’ gap.
People overwhelmingly rely on self-instructed or self-administered solutions to muscle pain rather than expert interventions, with 48% opting to stretch, and 44% using pain relief methods.
Two-thirds of Brits don’t know that slouching can impact breathing, energy levels and digestion
Perhaps the most concerning insight from the survey is the UK’s lack of systemic literacy around the health impact of poor posture.
While more than half of people are aware that poor posture can lead to back and neck problems, only around 1 in 3 respondents recognise systemic health effects of poor posture, including poor balance, lack of sleep and joint damage.
Just 2% of people associate a change in testosterone levels as being related to poor posture, yet 3% falsely believe nosebleeds to be a side effect.
Also, 74% of people are unaware that having poor posture can lead to more serious side effects, such as reduced lung capacity.
Green represents side effects of poor posture. Yellow represents false side effects of poor posture.
Helen O’Leary, physiotherapist at Complete Pilates, says: “The UK seems to be facing a silent posture crisis where everyday habits, from desk work to dusting, are leaving the nation in chronic pain.
“When only 1 in 3 people recognise the wider health risks of poor posture, it is no longer just a backache problem but a growing public health blind spot.
“The Pilates intention-action gap is less likely to be about belief, but more about behavioural patterns as the gap is sitting between intention and execution. Motivation to change something is often reactive. Pain is often episodic. When the pain spikes and flares, people often want to make changes. But when the pain isn't there the urgency disappears.
“Pilates is often also seen as maintenance and a long term commitment. Whilst HIIT and the gym can feel intense and goal driven, Pilates is often subtle, corrective and preventative which doesn't give the same dopamine hit that the gym does.
“The encouraging news is that we know posture is changeable, with the right guidance and small, consistent adjustments. This means we can help the UK move with greater strength, confidence and resilience! As a physio-led clinic, Complete Pilates exists to bridge the gap between intention and action, ensuring people safe, evidence-based ways to move better and prevent pain before it becomes persistent.”
What are the best activities for improving posture?
In terms of improving posture, the public consensus is clear. Pilates and Yoga are viewed as the most effective activities for postural correction. While 40% of people believe high-intensity activities like running or HIIT can help, more than half of the nation (54%) identifies Pilates as the gold standard.
Helen’s top Pilates exercises for correcting posture include:
Mermaid - The mermaid starts in a Z sit, and you lift one arm and stretch it over your head, stretching through the side of your body and breathing into that space / stretch. Repeat this a couple of times and don’t forget to swap sides!
Thoracic extension with a Pilates ball - Place the Pilates ball into your mid back whilst you are lying on your mat, the placement of the ball / prop is usually in the middle of your shoulder blades, this will change from person to person depending on where they are most tight. Your hands support and hold your head and you lower your head back towards the floor. You repeat this movement by lifting your head and chest up. You can also hold this stretch and take some deep breaths.
Pelvic tilt - Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet flat, and hip width apart. Imagine a clock face on the front of your pelvis, with the 12 at your belly button and 6 at your pubic bone. Rock your pelvis backwards so that it tilts first towards the 12-6. Here, you should feel the small of your back gently pressing into the floor. Then rock your pelvis forwards so that it tilts towards the 6. Here you should feel the small of your back arching away from the floor.
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