Lifestyle Medicine and Office Ergonomic Strategies for Managing Low Back Pain: Difference between revisions
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== Ergonomics and Whole-Person Health == | == Ergonomics and Whole-Person Health == | ||
<blockquote>'''Ergonomics''': the science concerned with fitting a job to a person’s anatomical, physiological, and psychological characteristics in a way that enhances human efficiency and well-being.” <ref>Venes D. Tabers’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis Company; 2017.</ref></blockquote>Physiotherapists are often involved with ergonomic assessments of workplace setups, they assess and make recommendations to improve a person’s anatomical or physiological functioning by adjusting the positions they hold their body while working to minimize risk for injury. The human component of a work system must be considered during assessment, it is important for the physiotherapist to consider whether: | <blockquote>'''Ergonomics''': the science concerned with fitting a job to a person’s anatomical, physiological, and psychological characteristics in a way that enhances human efficiency and well-being.” <ref>Venes D. Tabers’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis Company; 2017.</ref></blockquote>''This article will limit the discussion on ergonomics to the office setting, it should be noted that ergonomic assessments can be completed in any setting a person must perform work activities.'' Physiotherapists are often involved with ergonomic assessments of workplace setups, they assess and make recommendations to improve a person’s anatomical or physiological functioning by adjusting the positions they hold their body while working to minimize risk for injury. The human component of a work system must be considered during assessment, it is important for the physiotherapist to consider whether: | ||
* equipment is usable | * equipment is usable | ||
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<ref>Youtube. Ergonomics self assessment. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq1D5Bp3ANo (accessed 18/12/2021).</ref> | <ref>Youtube. Ergonomics self assessment. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq1D5Bp3ANo (accessed 18/12/2021).</ref> | ||
Ergonomics looks at more than just the physical functioning and user positioning of a work system. It also assesses the cognitive and organisational usability of a system. These aspects of the ergonomic assessment are outside the practice rights of physiotherapists, utilizing the principles of [[Introduction to Managing Chronic Low Back Pain with Integrative Lifestyle Medicine|integrative lifestyle medicine]] and whole person health can ensure a full and thorough ergonomic assessment with referrals to the proper clinician or healthcare provider. | Ergonomics looks at more than just the physical functioning and user positioning of a work system. It also assesses the cognitive and organisational usability of a system. These aspects of the ergonomic assessment are often outside the practice rights of physiotherapists. However, utilizing the principles of [[Introduction to Managing Chronic Low Back Pain with Integrative Lifestyle Medicine|integrative lifestyle medicine]] and whole person health can ensure a full and thorough ergonomic assessment with referrals to the proper clinician or healthcare provider. | ||
== | == Sources of LBP for the Office Worker == | ||
Research supports that both prolonged sitting (Internation Journal of Environmental Health) and prolonged standing (Gait and Posture) can both result in LBP and musculoskeletal discomfort. ADD MORE ARTICLES/BACKGROUND. Needs varying postures. | Research supports that both prolonged sitting (Internation Journal of Environmental Health) and prolonged standing (Gait and Posture) can both result in LBP and musculoskeletal discomfort. ADD MORE ARTICLES/BACKGROUND. Needs varying postures. | ||
ADD SECTION ON COVID 19 and WORK FROM HOME | ADD SECTION ON COVID 19 and WORK FROM HOME | ||
== Prevention of LBP for the Office Worker == | |||
Clinical choices that can help an office worker manage and/or prevent LBP: | Clinical choices that can help an office worker manage and/or prevent LBP: | ||
Revision as of 05:50, 19 December 2021
Top Contributors - Stacy Schiurring, Kim Jackson, Jess Bell, Carin Hunter, Tony Lowe and Lucinda hampton
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Back pain is a common complaint among persons who spend an extended amount of time in any one position. When considering the typical office worker, this is often a seated position. A sedentary lifestyle is becoming more common as an increasing number of people spend an extended amount of time seated for both work and leisure time. A 2019 study published in Applied Ergonomics found an association between chronic low back pain (LBP) and prolonged static sitting posture.[1]
LBP is the third highest cause of self-perceived disability[2] and causes major burdens on individuals, employers and society[3] identifying risk factors is of high importance when creating an appropriate prevention plan. For physiotherapists this often involves the use of ergonomics and postural analysis.
Ergonomics and Whole-Person Health[edit | edit source]
Ergonomics: the science concerned with fitting a job to a person’s anatomical, physiological, and psychological characteristics in a way that enhances human efficiency and well-being.” [4]
This article will limit the discussion on ergonomics to the office setting, it should be noted that ergonomic assessments can be completed in any setting a person must perform work activities. Physiotherapists are often involved with ergonomic assessments of workplace setups, they assess and make recommendations to improve a person’s anatomical or physiological functioning by adjusting the positions they hold their body while working to minimize risk for injury. The human component of a work system must be considered during assessment, it is important for the physiotherapist to consider whether:
- equipment is usable
- tasks are compatible with a person's ability and training
- the environment is comfortable and appropriate for the assigned task
- the work system takes a person's need for social and economic needs.[5]
Please review the following video of a physiotherapist quickly demonstrating a seated office computer assessment.
Ergonomics looks at more than just the physical functioning and user positioning of a work system. It also assesses the cognitive and organisational usability of a system. These aspects of the ergonomic assessment are often outside the practice rights of physiotherapists. However, utilizing the principles of integrative lifestyle medicine and whole person health can ensure a full and thorough ergonomic assessment with referrals to the proper clinician or healthcare provider.
Sources of LBP for the Office Worker[edit | edit source]
Research supports that both prolonged sitting (Internation Journal of Environmental Health) and prolonged standing (Gait and Posture) can both result in LBP and musculoskeletal discomfort. ADD MORE ARTICLES/BACKGROUND. Needs varying postures.
ADD SECTION ON COVID 19 and WORK FROM HOME
Prevention of LBP for the Office Worker[edit | edit source]
Clinical choices that can help an office worker manage and/or prevent LBP:
- What is the intention of the office break? Is the break needed for physical and/or mental needs?
- Physical: the worker may need to move, stretch, or change positions.
- Mental: the worker may need to step away from the task at hand or change tasks altogether.
- What should the worker do during the break? Rest in place, stand, sit, bend, stretch, move around?
- How long should an office microbreak last? 20 seconds to 120 minutes depending on the work and the need of the worker.
- How often should the microbreak occur? 20-120 minutes.
- What impact does other formal or scheduled breaks have on LBP? Examples: meal breaks
- What impact does chronic overwork over the year without taking a vacation break have on LBP and overall health?
List source the lecture
Practical Strategies for the Office Worker[edit | edit source]
MAKE TABLES FROM PPT
ADD VIDEO OF STRETCHES
Resources[edit | edit source]
- bulleted list
- x
or
- numbered list
- x
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Bontrup, C., Taylor, W.R., Fliesser, M., Visscher, R., Green, T., Wippert, P.M. and Zemp, R., 2019. Low back pain and its relationship with sitting behaviour among sedentary office workers. Applied Ergonomics, 81, p.102894.
- ↑ Vos, T., Allen, C., Arora, M., Barber, R.M., Bhutta, Z.A., Brown, A., Carter, A., Casey, D.C., Charlson, F.J., Chen, A.Z. and Coggeshall, M., 2016. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. The Lancet, 388(10053), pp.1545-1602.
- ↑ Buruck G, Tomaschek A, Wendsche J, Ochsmann E, Dörfel D. Psychosocial areas of worklife and chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2019;20(1):480.
- ↑ Venes D. Tabers’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis Company; 2017.
- ↑ Bridger R. Introduction to ergonomics. Crc Press; 2008 Jun 26.
- ↑ Youtube. Ergonomics self assessment. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq1D5Bp3ANo (accessed 18/12/2021).