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Have you recently been hit by shoulder or arm twinges? Pins and needles? Lower back-ache?
It could be that you're suffering from Recession Strain Injury: that's right, the economic downturn has literally become a pain in the neck for millions of Britons.
Research by CreditExpert.co.uk into the degree of financial pressure facing the population tallies with chartered physiotherapist Sammy Margo's finding that stress-related injuries have risen 25%, implying that financial anxiety is being expressed as physical stress.
CreditExpert's survey shows that 6.8 million Britons feel they owe more than they can manage and a further 9.7 million believe that they are at the limit of what they can cope with financially*.
The distress of Recession Strain Injury is being felt particularly in Scotland, with 40% of adults believing they are at or beyond their financial limits. But it's a very similar picture in England.
In London, 39% of people feel this way, along with 38% of northerners and 37% of southerners.
To counter the effects of Recession Strain Injury, which physiotherapist Margo says can also include exhaustion, difficulty sleeping and low energy levels, you need to adopt a twin approach and improve both your physical and financial well-being.
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Physical
Get good posture: if you are an office worker, make sure your monitor is at the right height and you can sit with your back at a 90° angle to your legs, with feet flat to the floor. This minimises back and neck strain.
Take exercise: a 15 to 20 minute walk at lunchtime will help clear your mind and aid digestion.
Drink lots of water: it helps to flush out toxins and keep your muscles, digestion and nervous system in order.
Stay loose: roll your shoulders backwards 10 times every hour. This frees up your shoulders and neck. On your daily walk, knit your fingers together behind your back, pull your tummy to your spine, release a bit and hold your tummy in for as long as you can.
Breathe deeply: it increases the amount of oxygen you take in, which both improves concentration levels and calms your mind.
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Financial
Take stock: get out all your bank and card statements and find out exactly where your money is going. That way you can work out where you can cut back on fripperies.
Draw up a budget: and stick to it. If you spend more than you can afford, you're on the road to more financial stress, so take back control of your finances.
Keep up repayments: don't be tempted to skip a month. If you do, it will stay on your credit report for at least three years and damage your credit rating.
Talk to your lenders: don't bury your head in the sand. They don't want to see your debts spiral to the point where they can't be paid off and could realign your payments to make them more affordable or even grant you a temporary payments holiday.
* 14% of 48.4 million British adults feel they owe more than they can manage; 20% that they owe as much as they can manage. Survey of 2,043 adults by YouGov.
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