Workplace : Habits of Harm
(Office Pathokinesiology)
Jon Turnquist MOL, OTR/L, ATP
Fall 2014
“The Sitting Disease”
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When sitting, the large postural muscles of the back and legs are shut off which
reduces fat-burning enzymes by 50%. Sitting also decreases the HDL:LDL
cholesterol ratio, increases the risk of contracting diabetes by 7% for
every 2 hours of sitting per day, increases the risk of heart disease,
increases the incidents of depression, increases the risk of acquiring
metabolic syndrome by 26% for every hour spent sitting irrespective of
the quantity of moderate exercise performed (as shown by Australian
researchers) and decreases lifespan (as shown by Canadian researchers
involving a twelve-year, 17,000 person study as well as by Australian
researchers involving a six-year, 8,800 person study). In addition, prolonged
sitting increases incidences of discomfort (including back pain, muscle
tenderness and aches, stiff necks, and numbness in the legs, chronic
disorders, arthritis, inflamed tendons, chronic joint degeneration,
impaired circulation, varicose veins, hypertension, obesity, cancer, high
blood triglycerides, high blood sugar, osteoporosis, and herniated discs
(Graf et al. 1993 and 1995, Grandjean 1987, Kelsey 1975).
Sitting is EVIL
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Sitting 6 or more hours a
day total = > mortality
Even worse is how we sit!
Myth of 90,90,90
Popular practice
not based on research
Too much disk pressure…
Jelly donut
WomanCon:
Exercises, stretches and shoe selection tips to keep you
and your business going strong (8/2014)
What NOT
to do!
What NOT
to do!
THE Chair…
Wall-E ???
90,90,90 or 100,100,100
Open up the hips and decrease the disk pressure
Decreasing back
pain by putting
yourself at risk
for a DVT…
or Slouching without
lumbar support
Static or Dynamic
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Traditional Criterion - Seat height should
be adjusted to support a knee angle of 90degrees to prevent leg swelling. However
studies are showing 75% of leg swelling
may be due to low leg muscle activity
rather than the chair.
Use of a foot rest may restrict movement
No Chair, but get a good mat!
Sitting leads to
40 - 90% more
stress on the
back (disc
pressure) than
standing posture
Standing desk
available to try
out at Jim’s
Place
Neck and Shoulder
Do these behaviors if you want!
Neck ache or Headache
Cervical spondylosis (spon·dy·lo·sis )
Rotator Cuff injury
We carry our
world on our
shoulders
How many things can you
remember lifting up?
VS.
How many things can you
remember pushing down?
Loading up the neck
Newton's 3rd Law:
For every action
there is an equal
and opposite
reaction.
Prevalence of Cervical
Cpondylosis
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In males, the prevalence was 13% in the third
decade, increasing to nearly 100% by age 70
years.
In females, the prevalence ranged from 5% in
the fourth decade to 96% in women older than
70 years
A too strong upper trapezius muscle will upset how your scapula
rotation and shoulder works
Mr. and Ms. Information
This exercise was provided for
shoulder and neck pain…
1. Shoulder Shrug
Stand, holding a pair of two-pound
dumbbells at your sides. Keeping
your neck straight, slowly lift up your
shoulders toward your ears and lower
them again. Repeat.
Read more:
http://www.oprah.com/health/Comput
er-Related-Neck-and-Shoulder-PainSolutions/2#ixzz2bOGvlwNL
Chair push ups
(beware of chairs with wheels!)
You also can do
one side at a time.
Done correctly
when you can feel
the upper traps
relax (soften)
Treat the cause not the symptom
Go with wired
I can’t recommend a wireless
Cell Phone Social Experiment
Head habits
and
Adaptive
shortening
Treat problems not just symptoms
“For every inch of Forward Head Posture, it can increase the weight of the
head on the spine by an additional 10 pounds.” Kapandji, Physiology of Joints,
Vol. 3
THE Mouse…
Of Pisiform and mice
One of the carpel bones and
the easiest injured due to
poor mouse fit
Mice pad height
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Changing the position of the forearm on the
desk was found to affect contact pressure.
The pisiform area contact pressure was
highest when the wrist rested on the edge of
the desk, and this was significantly higher
than the other forearm positions
Change wrist angle
By moving the
Mouse placement
OR…
Change the mouse
This one
can hurt
your
texting
thumb
THE Keyboard…
Negative angle best for reducing
tendons inflammation that can lead
to carpel tunnel problems
But I rarely type…
I talk with Dragon
Naturally Speaking
THE Keyboard…
Avoid this…
Just plug in a keyboard to your laptop
Did I mention
I just talk
Free DNS IPad app
The Light(s)
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Light is measured in LUX or Foot-candles
What is the lux/FC at the workstation?
Is there reflecting light?
Is there a bright light source in their visual
field? (light, window,…)
Is lighting balanced (many sources or just 1
bright light
One foot-candle is equal to one lumen per square
foot or approximately 10.764 lux
Recommended illuminance
targets in footcandles
Area or activity
Under 25
25-65
Over 65
Passageways
2
4
8
Grooming
15
30
60
Conversation
2.5
5
10
Reading/Study
25
50
100
Kitchen Counter
37.5
75
150
Hobbies
50
100
200
See any trends?
LUX meter app for IPad
Office Additions
Office Ergonomics
Avoiding Discomfort and injury by limiting the
twisting and reaching but keep moving safely
Organize your
Workstation
•
•
•
•
•
Keyboard
Mouse
Phone
Documents
Light direction
Office Ergonomics
Red Flags
Twisting of your
neck and/or back
Straining neck to
view monitor
Office Ergonomics
Red Flags
Poor lumbar
support
Reaching for keyboard
and/or mouse
Office Ergonomics
Avoiding Discomfort and
Injury/Office Lighting
• Inadequate lighting
• Improper lighting
• Improper monitor
brightness
• Direct and reflected glare
• 20/20/20 Rule?
• Ctrl & scroll up to zoom in
• Lens prescription
Current Ergonomics
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Monitor distance
Keyboard placement
Mouse placement
Chair height
Use of footrests
100/100/100 posture
Keyboard height
Keyboard angle
Wrist position
Monitor height
Use of wrist rests
Rest breaks
Correct posture?
far away, still read clearly (LCD vs CRT)
push back; forearms on desk (don’t hold arms with shoulders)
goal is next to keyboard
keyboard height? then adjust
static is NOT good
hips to 130; open angle, knees > 90
elbow height OR LOWER
plane of forearm; neg.angle
YES always flat (unless pisiform pain) no wrist deviation
eye level or LOWER; comfort (type of glasses you use)
too hard or too thin = bad
30 sec. every 10 min.
(micro breaks)
Dynamic = correctness
Use your computer!!!
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Change FONT size, color shape
Use low vision screen
Adjust mouse: speed, click, size
Use your computer!!!
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Using the Windows Task Scheduler to do hourly break prompts.
XP:
http://blogedutech.blogspot.com/2011/04/simple-hourly-reminder-to-get-up-and.html
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Windows 7:
http://www.howtogeek.com/120566/how-to-create-a-repeating-alarm-in-windows-7-without-extra-software/