ERGONOMICS DEFINED
ERGONOMICS IS ROUGHLY DEFINED as the study of people in their working environment. An ergonomist analyzes, designs, and modifies the workstation to fit the worker with the goal of making the worker more comfortable and eliminating the risk of injury.
Figures from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics show that at least 33% of ergonomic injuries are from workplaces. Injuries lead to lost working days, poor performance, poor sleep, stress, pain and changes in personality. Ergonomic injuries affect almost all jobs. There is no exception.
The cause of some ergonomic injuries is said to be from: insufficient rest breaks, contact stress, awkward postures, exposure to extreme temperatures, static positions, exerting too much pressure on an object. All of these lead to injury to muscles, nerves, tendons, and the musculoskeletal system. The length of exposure determines how severe the injury will be.
GONE ARE THE DAYS when we used the out of doors that built the body from birth throughout teen-age years and then maintained it with everyday chores. Today we bring our physically uneducated, soft, weak, inflexible and stressed bodies to the workplace and expect them to perform for us without consideration of their condition. Dah!
AND SO the self-appointed “tailors” of Madison Avenue assembled and supplied the “emperor”, us the American public, with the finest of materials in the form of ergonomic furniture: height-adjustable desks, ergonomic chairs, footrests, document holders, wrist rests, anti-fatigue mats, and monitor arms just to mention a few.
AND SO NOW we can work more comfortably and longer before the same old habits result in the same old injuries: lower back injuries, trigger fingers, muscle strains, epicondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendonitis… and the list goes on.
AND SO NOW WHAT? Suppose that you have been lucky enough to find, from the myriad of the finest materials, the perfect ergonomic paraphernalia for you. The longer you sit comfortably in your new surroundings and perform the endless repetitive tasks required of your body, the less you move your already physically compromised self in NORMAL ways.
PREVENTION
Muscles don’t like doing things over and over, they thrive on variety. And as I wrote in my last blog… Unlike the Tin Woodman in the Wizard of Oz who had to depend on Dorothy to oil his joints, YOU carry your own joint oil with you in the form of synovial fluid, which is produced by a membrane that surrounds the joint. The fluid provides nutrients to the cartilage within the joint, as well as reducing the friction between joint surfaces when you move. When you move a joint the synovial fluid gets squeezed out across the joint surfaces as if you were oiling a hinge.
In order to keep the joints in good working order and help maintain the fluid’s quality and circulation, you need to move on a regular basis and stay hydrated.
Keep your joints oiled by moving. You have one body and it belongs to you alone. It is the ONLY one you are going to get so take care of it and use it well. It is up to you. No-one else can do it for you. Get up and get moving.
Here are a few suggestions that are effective and that you can use immediately.
I am here to help you so if you need more suggestions or have questions write me, Enid: paineras@aol.com.
For more information about Bonnie Prudden®, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®, books, self-help tools, on-line credit courses, Myotherapy and Exercise instructional videos to rent or buy, vlogs, newsletters and blogs, visit www.bonnieprudden.com. Or call 520-299-8064 or email, paineras@aol.com if you have questions or need help. Enid Whittaker, Managing Director, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®