Common Work-Related Pain and Dysfunction

Attention to ergonomics has helped decrease the incidents of work-related Musculo Skeletal Disorders (MSDs); however, they still account for about 1/3 of work-related injuries and illnesses. No matter how great or small the physical demands of a job, the body can wear down from a variety of daily tasks. There seems to be a growing number of dysfunctions that can result from work-related activities. Here is a breakdown of some common MSDs.

General Overuse - Overuse during work or play can affect the body in a number of ways. General overuse of limbs in people who are poorly conditioned, use awkward postures when using the affected limb, or have poor posture are prone to bursitis and tendonitis. Very simply, these are inflammation in the bursa (fluid-filled sac beneath the tendons) or tendons (tissue connecting muscles to bones) respectively. They typically cause pain and stiffness. Ceasing the culprit activity and correcting positioning of the body during activity are common preventative measures.
Eye Problems - Staring at a computer can cause problems with both vision and comfort in the eyes. Computer Vision Syndrome can affect both the quality of vision (blurred, strained, etc.) and comfort levels (headaches, eye pain, neck pain, etc.) Dry Eye Syndrome describes a decrease in the ability for the eyes to bathe through tears properly. Frequent breaks from looking at a computer and from looking at objects up close can help prevent these issues.
Wrist and Forearm Pain - These disorders are often also considered overuse injuries, though they specifically develop from repetitive movements of the fingers and wrist, including gripping, pinching, grasping, and twisting. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is arguably the most common MSD, creating weakness, pain, tingling, and numbness in the wrist and fingers. De Quervain's Disease affects the side of the wrist and forearm, causing pain and swelling in those areas.
Arm Pain Associated With the Elbow - Tenderness, pain, and numbness in the hand and fingers may also indicate stress at the elbow. Epicondylitis (Golfer's and Tennis Elbow) is caused byexcessive stress of the forearm muscles and tendons. Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is numbness, tingling, and pain from compressing the ulnar nerve through direct pressure (resting elbows on a hard surface) or elbow flexion.Low Back and Leg Pain - Some of the most debilitating and excruciating MSDs are those that occur in the low back. Pain in the low back and legs may indicate sprain/strain in the lumbar spine or sciatica. Improper/frequent posture, compression, movement, and weight load on the spine can cause these serious back problems.

Signs or symptoms of a work-related MSD should be brought to the attention of the employer and examined by a trained physician. Early detection is critical not only to assist with the healing process, but also to correct any fixable problems at the work site. Ergonomic solutions are best when implemented as early as possible. Calling attention to a potential problem may prevent a number of workers from developing a work-related MSD.

Carol Olin is Vice President of Americarts USA, a manufacturer of US-made motorized platform carts used for material transporting in hospitals, hotels and industrial cart applications. Americart USA features high quality carts price to compete with imported products. Carol has been in the material transport equipment industry for over 11 years. Americart USA has several original articles on their website relating to work related injuries.

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Automation and Mechanization - The Most Effective Solutions for Work-Related Injury to the Shoulder

Work-related injury occurs in almost every job. Finding and correcting the ergonomic problems that cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) involves managing MSD hazard controls. These are engineering, work practice, and administrative controls. The latter two are about behavior and the way work is performed. While these tend to be the least costly solutions, they cannot be effective alone. Engineering controls, or those that physically change the work station or job task, are the most preferred way to prevent MSDs in the work place. This is because they don't rely on the employee to take self-protective action or intervention. In fact, they create a safer environment as a whole. In some fields, engineering controls are more about tools and workstations than they are changing a process or implementing new equipment. These are less costly scenarios. However, the more debilitating the potential MSDs, the more elaborate a change a company may need to make. These solutions can be a significant investment, but in the long run, they pay for themselves. Let's examine engineering controls as they relate to shoulder injuries.

The shoulder is the most moveable joint in the body and is used in a lot of the same tasks that place stress on the back, legs, arms, and neck. Common work-related MSDs in the shoulder include: tendonitis, bursitis, frozen shoulder, degenerative joint disease, impingement syndrome, and arthritis. Treatment for these can be extensive and costly depending on severity. In many cases, employees cannot return to the same job while recovering from shoulder injury, and sometimes they are permanently unable to return to the field. This is devastating not only to the affected employees, but also employers. There are too many specific automated devices in existence to list individually, but we can look at some broad solutions to the overworked shoulder.

Reducing overhead work: mechanized and automated equipment that can adjust to the height of the person using it significantly minimizes the need to reach. This may be a stationary unit that moves up and down or part of a pulley system that also transports product. In some cases, an overhead crane or lifting system is appropriate to eliminate any manual movement of an object. Reaching is a major factor in work-related shoulder MSDs.
Minimizing repetition: repetitive movements - great or small - severely impact the health of a joint. Anything that replaces the job of manual repetitive motion will be an asset to a company whether it's a conveyor belt or a dipping machine.
Pushing and pulling modifications: most people equate injuries from pushing or pulling with the back. While this is true, the shoulder is also used in pushing and pulling. Ideally, carts (and the like) are motorized to eliminate pushing and pulling all together. This is the safest solution for the entire body. For transportation equipment that isn't motorized, having handles that adjust to the pusher's height is very important. Carts can also be designed to be loaded and unloaded with minimal bending, lifting, and twisting. These actions are also very stressful to both the back and the shoulders.

While these are just three categories of improvement, the number of machines, equipment, and devices built with those factors in mind is enormous. They're built because they're not only needed, but they're also effective. Whatever your industry, there are products designed to help minimize undue stress and injury to your body.

Carol Olin is Vice President of Americarts USA, a manufacturer of US-made motorized platform carts used for hospital transporting, hospitality and industrial. AmeriCart USA features high quality carts price to compete with imported products. Carol has been in the material transport equipment industry for over 11 years.

Original article

Solutions for Potential Work-Related Neck Injuries

Many workplace injuries occur over time rather than in one event. While that might make it take longer to recognize the risks, it also gives companies a little time to fix the problems that cause injuries. With a little knowledge of what can help and why, preventative measures are both plausible and economical. One key factor of preventing injury, however, is identifying all the body parts that can be affected by repetitive and stressful movement. This article will look at solutions for potential neck injuries.

Work-related injuries to the neck can be hard to detect. One reason is that the neck is exposed to so much stress from daily activity that people learn to ignore neck pain. By the time the pain is severe enough to take notice, the injury may be significantly more difficult to treat. A bigger reason neck pain is difficult to detect is that pain in the neck can affect the shoulders, arms, and hands. In these cases, the body part where pain is felt may be addressed, leaving the actual source of pain untreated. This can lead to chronic pain. Some typical injuries and problems in the neck include: arthritis, strains, sprains, herniated discs, headaches, impinged nerves, shoulder-neck-strain-syndrome, tension neck syndrome, and tingling and numbness in the neck, shoulders, arms, or hands. Ideally, employers would solve injury-related problems before they occur. Here are some ergonomic engineering controls that can be managed to save the neck:

Create a proper working height. This includes not only adjusting the height of anything the employee looks at (using neck muscles to look up, down, etc), but also anything the employee has to reach for. The neck and shoulder are closely related. Adjustable chairs and a revamped desk are easy ways to help a person sit at a desk correctly. For more laborious work tasks, carts with adjustable handles (keeping elbows close to the body during transportation) will keep the neck and shoulders neutral. Carts that carry equipment and act as a workstation may also have adjustable components to ensure a proper work space for each user.
Reduce far reaching. Reaching can stress everything from the neck down through the back. Conveyors, racking, and anything with adjustable heights (ie: cart handles) will help minimize reaching. Be very careful that the workstation does not require reaching behind the body. If reaching also involves handling or carrying a heavy object, an automated solution may be best to eliminate both risk factors.
Reduce repetitive movements like neck bending and twisting. Any part of a workstation that can move with the employee to prevent a back-and-forth between tasks will help here. Additionally, ensuring the height of every repetitive task keeps the neck neutral can help. Depending on the job task, automating a repetitive task may be the safest and most productive option available. Bending and twisting the neck can also occur because of poor lighting. Reduce glare where possible.
Minimize static work postures. In addition to repetitive movement, no movement - especially in an awkward posture - can stress the neck as well. Here again, adjusting the height of tools and workstations, and implementing mechanization are very effective.
Minimize forceful exertions and heavy carrying. Whether a person is pushing and pulling, manipulating a tool, or carrying a heavy object, forceful exertions can be very detrimental to the body. Power tools with torque reduction or automatic shut-off, mechanized tasks, tools with clamps, and automated carts can all eliminate unnecessary exertion. Heavy objects should be transported by a cart, conveyor belt, or lift to reduce the chance of sprain or strain.

There are many more specific problems and solutions in the workforce, but some common ones were covered here. Saving the body from injury not only keeps the employee healthy and working, but saves the employer time, cost and production. Ergonomic solutions to reduce work-related injury are very effective, especially for the neck. Consult an expert to find the best solutions for you.

Carol Olin is Vice President of Americarts USA, a manufacturer of motorized carts such as platform carts used for hospitality and commercial industries. Americart USA features high quality carts price to compete with imported products. Carol has been in the material transport equipment industry for over 11 years and has written a number of articles relating to work place injuries.

Original article