Ergonomics: an ally in the prevention of tendinitis and other workplace injuries
Sitting for long hours in front of a computer can take its toll in the long term. Find out how to prevent and identify the most frequent injuries among office workers to ensure good occupational health.
Modern working conditions have a serious impact on our health in a silent but significant manner, as our bodies are not designed for the sedentary lifestyle that working in an office involves. This lack of activity, which may seem harmless at first glance, combined with poor posture and repetitive movements, such as typing for hours on end, makes musculoskeletal injuries more likely, as well as having a negative impact on our blood circulation, visual health and general wellbeing.
How to avoid injuries in the office?
Research from the Cleveland Clinic revealed that sitting for more than six hours a day is as harmful as smoking a pack of cigarettes daily, so taking regular breaks during the day to get up and walk around is essential to address the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
In addition to making regular breaks a part of your working day, proper postural hygiene is the key to preventing the most common injuries in an office environment. To do this, it is crucial that our workspace should be ergonomic, i.e. designed to suit our individual needs and encourage healthy posture. Once we are settled at our desk, we should adjust the height of the chair and screen correctly, so that our feet are firmly on the floor, with our legs at a 90-degree angle. Furthermore, the monitor should be at eye level to avoid straining our neck, and our arms should rest naturally on the desk, without the need to raise or tilt them.
If these minimum requirements are not met, we are at risk of developing one or more of the following occupational diseases:
Four most common injuries in the office
Cervical pain
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Also called office stiff neck, this condition refers to pain that occurs between the base of the skull and the top of the spine, due to issues arising in the soft tissue of the muscles, discs, nerves and joints. It is usually caused by poor posture over a long period of time, such as being hunched over a laptop for long hours or having a monitor that isn’t at eye level.
Tendinitis
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This is an inflammation of the tendons. Although it can present in any muscle in the body, in office workers the most common tendinopathies are those of the wrists and elbows (epicondylitis), now also popularly known as programmer's elbow. Its main symptoms include the appearance of dull pain, swelling and tenderness in the affected area. It is usually caused by repetitive movement, such as excessive typing, without taking the necessary breaks.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
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This occurs when the median nerve, which is responsible for sensation and movement in parts of the hand, is pinched or compressed. Sufferers may experience numbness and tingling in the palm or fingers, weakness, impaired motor control and pain in the wrist that radiates up to the elbow.
Lower back pain
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This affects the lumbar area, between the last ribs and the buttocks. Its main symptoms are pain, a feeling of stiffness and difficulty in bending over. It is linked to postural overload and can hinder the mobility of those who suffer from it.
