Lifestyle Medicine and Office Ergonomic Strategies for Managing Low Back Pain
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]
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 changing the positions they hold their body while working.
The following video quickly goes through a seated office computer assessment by a physiotherapist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq1D5Bp3ANo
Equally important is to consider cognitive and organisational ergonomics.
ADD SECTION? Ergonomics and whole-person health/integrative medicine (ADD PP PAGE LINK)
Prevention 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.
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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]
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ADD VIDEO OF STRETCHES
Resources[edit | edit source]
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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.