Worksite International Blog

The way we work is changing rapidly. We are spending so much time with our technology, it's become like a family member... AKA Alexa! But what is all this exposure doing to our brains, our eyes and our bodies?

Recently, I had the opportunity to record my first podcast with James Crow of Posture Stars. Not only was it a lot of fun, but I was able to answer some important questions about posture. As a physical therapist and ergonomist, posture has come to mean different things to me when I observe and assess employees in the workplace. Did you know there are many kinds of postures?

Listen in to my thoughts on posture, it's significance in our daily work life and a bit of thoughtful advice for listeners. 

James asked me the following questions: 

Businesses tend to be reactive when it comes to employee health and safety, mostly because they don’t budget for prevention. Employers typically wait to act until after a workers’ compensation claim occurs. By then, it is too late! Not only did the employer miss the early warning signs and an opportunity to prevent the injury, now the financial implications are real. In California, the average cost of a typical seated work injury is at least $40,000 per case, according to the California Division of Workers’ Compensation.

With the holidays upon us, there comes a significant amount of stress and overexertion that can lead to an increase in musculoskeletal discomfort. To start the new year off with a healthy and happy workforce, share these holiday back safety tips with them. Employees who feel well physically and emotionally perform at higher levels, so it's important to support their wellness within and outside of the organization.

In my work as an ergonomist, I conduct routine preventive and post-injury ergonomic evaluations. For years, I’ve asked each employee, “Do you know what ergonomics is?” and “When was the last time you attended ergonomics training?” The answers are almost always “not sure” and “never!”

Understanding how to set up and adjust one’s workstation is not intuitive. Employees must be taught how to do so. I often say, “We all know how to do our jobs, but no one has ever taught us how to work with good ergonomics!”. I’ve seen this over and over and it’s why I’ve been in business for 26 years! So, what is the solution?

As a Physical Therapist, I’ve treated people with occupational and non- occupational musculoskeletal injuries for the last 30 years. Many of the employees I’ve helped in the workplace reported experiencing early discomfort but chose to wait to report their concerns to their employer. By the time they reported their problem, they had a full blown (neuro) musculoskeletal disorder requiring weeks of medical care and even time off from work. With knowledge of self-care, many of these disorders could have been prevented!

Dr. David Rempel is a Professor of Medicine at the University of CA. He is one of the most important USA researchers in upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) in our time. Dr. Rempel’s presentation at ERGOX 2015 focused on the latest research on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).

Dr. Rempel discussed “Big Ergo”, a large prospective study spanning from 2001-2011 focusing on the causation of distal upper extremity (UE) CTD including CTS, wrist tendonitis, elbow tendinitis and rotator cuff disorders in a production/manufacturing setting.

Dr. Marras presented his latest research on lower back disorders at ERGOX 2015. He is the Executive Director Scientific Director of the Spine Research Institute, and a Professor at Ohio State University. His research is centered on understanding the role of biomechanics in spine disorder causation and its role in the prevention, evaluation, and treatment of spine disorders.

Lower back disorders are the #1 disability worldwide, costing more than cancer with over 100 million lost time work days. Lower back is typically over-treated, with approximately 50% of all surgeries performed on the lower back unsuccessful, 80-90% lower back conditions are misdiagnosed, costing millions of dollars in failed surgeries.