ERGONOMICS From the HUMAN point of view

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ERGONOMICSFrom the HUMAN point of view

• Petti Redding, OTR

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Look Familiar?
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What is Ergonomics?

• The Science of matching the demands of the job
  (physical, mental and environmental) to the
  worker.
• (Generally, the focus is on the stuff)

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Job Demands Physical Capacity If they dont
equal, you get PAIN!
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Job Demands

• 24/7/365 days a year as we only have 1 body to
  do our at work, on the weekend, in the evening,
  on vacation, etctasks.
• So the state of our bodies relates to how we feel
  not only at work, but all other times as well.

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Physical Capacity

• Strength (core vs. extremity)
• Endurance (muscles work w/o fatigue)
• Range of motion (how the joints move)
• Postural balance (THINK OF IT AS STRUCTURAL
  INTEGRITY OF THE BODY)

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To do this, we

• PHYSICAL CAPACITY
• Increase activity level
• Decrease stress levels
• Increase frequency of stretch breaks (No one
  does that, do they?)

• JOB DEMANDS
• Evaluate tasks
• Evaluate workstations
• Evaluate behaviors
• Make changes

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CTD, RSI, MSD? What do they all mean?

• Damage occurring on a daily basis BEFORE you
  experience PAIN!
• The way you use your body day after day, (good
  or bad) to accomplish a task
• Includes the POSTURE and BEHAVIOR to do that task
• Includes work AND home tasks
• And youll try to blame it on the pillow!
• (or mattress or stress or)

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Total Disability
Partial Disability
Dysfunctional
Medical Intervention
Persistent
Discomfort
Level of Tissue Damage
Pain
High
Medium
Priority 1
Low
Priority 2
Behavior/workstation intervention
Priority 3
Note Persistent pain that affects the quality
of life for the individual and requires medical
intervention
No Pain
PAIN!!!
Tissue damage occurs BEFORE you feel PAIN!
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Common Underlying Causes of CTDs

• Static Contractions leads to
• Trigger Points leads to
• Non-neutral,unbalanced postures that may lead
  to
• Nerve entrapments and nerve damage
• and joint imbalance that may lead to arthritic
  joints
• But all have a common beginning ...
• LACK OF BLOOD FLOW
• LEADING TO LACK OF OXYGEN

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Static Vs. Dynamic Muscle Contractions

• With a static contraction of 60 of maximum,
  there is
• no blood flow
• to the muscle contracting.

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Principle Causes of Static Contractions

• Poor posture from muscle imbalance, holding body
  in a non-neutral position
• Holding a position for an extended period of time
• Increased stress levels due to the autonomic
  nervous system response

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Statically held positions lead to Trigger Point
Formation

• Decreased blood flow leads to ischemic (without
  oxygen) tissue changes
• Death of healthy tissue, and trigger point
  formation ( fibrous adhesions) begin.
• Pain cycle begins usually at a referred
  pain area

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Levator Scapula muscle and trigger points
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Scalene trigger points and muscle
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The Primary CulpritSitting!

• Good sitting results in S posture, w/ all
  joints in neutral alignment and muscles relaxed
• Bad sitting results in C posture w/ muscles
  held statically, non neutral joints and
  dysfunction happening slowly, over time.

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C curve VS S curve
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The bowling ball principle
Balanced ball on platform and rigid structure
Unbalanced ball falling off Platform and rigid
structure
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The body adapts to the position we put it in
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What is neutral position?And why does it matter?

• Balanced position between 2 motions
• Most blood flow/least soft tissue damage
• (tendons, muscles, discs, nerves)
• BUT
• the body adapts to the position we
• put it in

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Typical, dysfunctional postures leading to
musculo-skeletal pain,vertebral dysfunction,
arthritic conditions, etc.
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Joint function/dysfunction (all)

• Oiling system only works w/ movement
• Muscle imbalance creates less surface contact
• More wear/tear on less surface area
• Body cant keep up w/ repairs

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Is entrapment of the median nerve at the wrist,
  NOT a general overuse syndrome
• causes numbness and tingling at the thumb, index,
  long and 1/2 the ring finger, on the palm side of
  the hand
• Causes weakness in the muscles of the thumb
• IS THE MOST MIS-DIAGNOSED DIAGN0SIS

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The Median Nerve at the wrist
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Nerves of the Upper Extremity
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All these nerves
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Come from here, and here is generally the
problem!

• Brachial Plexus
• The 5 nerve roots in the neck that supply all
  the upper extremity, chest, shoulder and upper
  back.

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The Squeeze

• The scalene and pectoralis minor muscles at the
  side of the neck put the squeeze on the nerves
  and artery, decreasing blood flow and nerve
  supply. (nerve entrapment)

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What does that have to do with a pain in my
hand?

• The nerve begins at the neck,
• but ends at the hand

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Relationship of Stress and Pain

• The Autonomic Nervous System
• ( our bodys automatic pilot system)
• Controls
• breathing
• pulse rate
• blood pressure
• muscle tone

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Stress and the Fight or Flight Response

• The body does not know the difference between
• physical danger and mental stress!
• All automatic pilot systems perceive danger and
  gear up to run or fight including
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Tense muscles
• Heightened awareness

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Physical danger is episodic! You run, or fight
and there is a pressure release mechanismthen
all systems return to normal
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With chronic mental stress, there is no one to
fight or run from! And it just keeps coming!!!!
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So give yourself your very own pressure release
valve
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• The dreaded Eword
• Exercise

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Your Choice?UP or DOWN

• The Upward Spiral
• the more active, the better you feel, and the
  more energy you have so the more you do...

• The Downward Spiral
• the less active you are, the less energy you
  have and the worse you feel, so the less you do...

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Whos responsibility is it, anyway? (or You
want me to change?)

• These changes are for your benefit
• more energy
• less pain
• able to work and play without hurting
• Decreased chance of developing RSIs
• and , the best of all, YOUNGER LOOKING!
• But Its YOUR choice

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Why Report Early?

• Pain/discomfort doesnt go away by itself
• You must change the behavior that is causing the
  pain/discomfort
• Getting early help means SOLVING the PROBLEM AT
  ITS ROOT CAUSE!
• DONT BE AFRAID TO GET HELP!
• ITS YOUR BODY AND YOUR HEALTH!

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The Solution To Overuse Injuries

• Early reporting of discomfort
• Personal responsibility to make changes in
  behavior and posture
• GET PHYSICALLY ACTIVE! (The more blood flow, the
  less the damage to your body)

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Just remember, they havent perfected cloning!

• Thank you,
• The Redding Group