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.  


== Prevention of LBP for the Office Worker ==
== 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

Original Editor - Stacy Schiurring based on the course by Ziya Altug
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.

[6]

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:

  1. What is the intention of the office break?  Is the break needed for physical and/or mental needs?
    1. Physical: the worker may need to move, stretch, or change positions.
    2. Mental: the worker may need to step away from the task at hand or change tasks altogether.
  2. What should the worker do during the break?  Rest in place, stand, sit, bend, stretch, move around?
  3. How long should an office microbreak last? 20 seconds to 120 minutes depending on the work and the need of the worker.
  4. How often should the microbreak occur? 20-120 minutes.
  5. What impact does other formal or scheduled breaks have on LBP? Examples: meal breaks
  6. 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

  1. numbered list
  2. x

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Venes D. Tabers’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary,  23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis Company; 2017.
  5. ↑ Bridger R. Introduction to ergonomics. Crc Press; 2008 Jun 26.
  6. ↑ Youtube. Ergonomics self assessment. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq1D5Bp3ANo (accessed 18/12/2021).
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