Musculoskeletal disorders have long been associated with work ergonomics. With over 80 million individuals who use a computer for work every day, research has uncovered the impact on the incidence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD).

However, prolonged computer use isn’t the only cause for WMSDs. Outlined below are a few risk factors that can result in the development of these conditions.

Body Positions and Postures

While certain postures are not optimal for your health, any prolonged and sustained position of the body can cause health concerns. For instance, even if you’re sitting with your back straight, but do not move (e.g. get up) your body will not like it; the body likes to, and needs to move.

Similarly, if you stay fixed in an awkward position for a sustained period of time you’re at a greater risk of developing a WMSD. Working with your shoulders hunched, torso bent, or arms twisted unusually can add unwanted stress to your body putting yourself at risk of injury.

Repetitiveness

If your work requires you to use the same muscle groups and joints continually or perform particular task too frequently,  the chances of developing a WMSD are high. This is because the repetitive tasks puts your body under the same loadfor most of the day. In particular, exerting a constant force on a specific part of your body (for e.g. the neck or shoulders) can increase your chance of injury.

Repeated movements at work don’t allow the bodyto recover from the stress exerted on it  while performing a particular task. The short recovery time during off work hours  isn’t enough to rest your body completely, and  the cycle continues, increasing your chances of developing a WMSD. Eventually, you’ll require a lot more effort to perform the same task leading to fatigue and compensations of the body. Working under these conditions can put you at an even greater risk of sustaining a work-related injury.

Sports & Exercise Medicine Institute clinics offer acupuncture andactive release techniquesfor a quicker recovery from work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Located in St. Claire, Thornhill, Sheppard, and greater Toronto, we offer a myriad of sports medicine services. These include sports massage therapy,concussion programs, and sports podiatry among others.

Call at 1-844-223-7364 to get in touch with our team and learn more about our services!