Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,
Did you miss me?? I know I didn't write last week. I do apologize, but I'll make it up to you by starting this week's missive with a vocabulary quiz. Oh, don't worry it's only one word.
1. Ergonomics
A. It's the economics of sitting.
B. The study of your workplace.
C. How to move from sitting to standing.
D. The study of the worker, the work and the workplace.
Ok, I tried to make it easy. The answer is D, congratulations to everyone who got it. Ergonomics is the study of the relationship between you, your work and the environment you must complete that work in. It's an important topic as it has a tremendous impact on your health, poor ergonomics can lead to repetitive strain injuries, lower back pain and headaches.
Here are some things to consider when setting up your workspace.
1. The amount of time you're required to stay in one place sitting or standing.
2. The accessibility of items you use a lot in relation to where you are.
3. Lighting
4. Air quality and circulation
5. Background noise.
Sitting position and chair design - Tips to reduce strain
1. Feet should rest flat on the floor, if necessary use a footrest.
2. Legs should remain uncrossed
3. A small gap should remain between the back of your knees and the front of your seat.
4. Backrests should be adjustable to support your lower back and midback
5. Armrests should be positioned so your forearms remain parallel to the ground.
Standing and posture - Tips to minimize stress
1. Place one foot higher than the other using a foot stool.
2. Stand on a stable, shock absorbing surface.
3. Use comfortable footwear that is biomechanically supportive.
4. Minimize bending or stooping by using work surfaces that are the proper height.
5. Bend your knees slightly to take some stress off of your joints.
Bending and Lifting - Know how to use proper lifting techniques
1. Keep your nose between your toes. By keeping your nose centered on the body, you can minimize twisting-related injuries, especially disc trauma.
2. Maintain a neutral, vertical spine when retrieving objects from locations below your waist. By bending the knees instead of the waist, you can use the strength of the large muscles in your legs to reduce strain on your lower back.
Common workplace injuries related to poor ergonomics:
1. Sprains and strains - these account for 43% of 1.3 million injuries and illnesses that require recuperation away from work. Commonly caused by lifting, bending or twisting movements. Lower back pain can also be started by poor sitting or standing postures, which cause strain in the muscles supporting these positions.
2. Carpal tunnel syndrome - This is a repetitive strain injury involving the hand and wrist. It is most often caused by repetitive injuries using the smaller muscles of the hand and forearm. Symptoms include pain, numbness or tingling in the first 3 fingers, including the thumb, weakness in the hand that makes holding objects difficult.
3. Headaches - The most common trigger for headaches in the workplace is occupational stress associated with excessive workloads, unrealistic expectations for performance and conflict. However, environmental and ergonomic issues can also make you prone to headaches. Factors may include improper lighting, poor sitting or standing posture, glare or eyestrain from using a poor computer screen, toxins in the work environment (air quality) and noise pollution.
According to some experts one of the main triggers for stress and strain in the workplace is static posture. So, that said, as a general rule of thumb, do not stay in one position any longer than 20 minutes without moving around. Take regular stretching breaks to keep your joints and muscles mobile, flexible and functional.
Hope this is helpful!
Take care and be healthy.
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre
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