PHYSIOTHERAPY
INTERNATIONAL

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September-October 1999

TIPS FOR CORRECT MOVEMENT
IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE
Dimitrios Kostopoulos, MA, PT, FAAPM &
Konstantine Rizopoulos, PT, FABS

Whether you work in an office setting, an auto repair shop, a textile mill, etc., we are all at risk of suffering some type of injury.

However, with a program including regular exercise, short warm-ups and proper work techniques, most work-related injuries will be guarded against, many times prevented. Since many occupations have different injuries from each other, most people may identify with an injury other people wouldn't dream of getting. But with a little attention towards safety and exercise, your body will feel strong and healthy for years to come.

By staying in one position all day, assembly line operators generally suffer from overuse injuries. Repetitive movements during a full day lead to tendinitis and bursitis, commonly found in the shoulders and wrists. Prevention is much more important than exercising for these type of jobs. Practicing proper techniques when pulling levers or lifting materials may quickly rid the body of pain and enhance productivity.  Also, arthritis may often occur in joints that are used a lot, such as hands and fingers and in joints that bear weight, such as knees and ankles. Many methods of treatment exist, but exercise is very important to combat arthritis because it helps keep the joints from stiffening.

Physical laborers such as carpenters and electricians often succumb to arm and mid-back pains. Improvement in range of motion  should occur with improved  techniques  using screwdrivers, saws and other tools.  Get in good position when using these tools, and try to avoid reaching at odd angles. Carpenters often injure themselves when using brute strength to grab something heavy that is getting away. The only suggestion in this case is to stay in good physical condition so that the impact placed on the body, especially the back, results in minimal damage.

Did you know that dentists and doctors often suffer from  low  back pain, stress and neck and shoulder fatigue? Degenerative problems generally occur due to the prone positions at which they work. The awkward angles at which they sit or stand, place  enormous amounts of stress on the back, arms and shoulders. Improved positioning should reduce pain. In addition, technological improvements in the design of chairs and tables that give better access to patients should decrease ergonomically induced pain for dentists and doctors.

Accountants tend to have quite a few ergonomic problems. Sore necks, rounded shoulders and shortened hamstrings, and ground teeth and tightened jaw muscles. As a result of sitting, often at a computer, accountants tend to drop their heads and lean over.  By lifting the shoulders and head to improve posture, touching the toes every couple of hours, and taking a break to relieve facial tenseness, these injuries should quickly disappear. Also, reposition your computer screen and raise or lower the current heights of chairs and desktops.

Moms and dads at home make up a large portion of the work force. At least half of the population has kept children, many times on hips or in arms. Virtually everyone has lifted or snatched children from danger. And everyone has wanted to put them down because of back or shoulder strain. Proper lifting and carrying techniques will prevent most of these injuries. Bend at the knees and use the legs when lilting. Don't bend at the waist when lowering children on toilets or into cribs.

In addition to keeping children, moms and dads face upkeep of the home. Cleaning the house means moving furniture, waxing floors and dusting at all reaches and angles. This occupation may be the most demanding. Every part of the body is taxed. Pushing and pulling the vacuum, raising shoulders to hang clothes, using strength from the legs when rearranging furniture. Whatever tasks are performed most often, those are the areas of the body on which to concentrate. Overuse injuries are often seen as rotator cuff injuries that may be a result of waxing the car or washing windows. Repetitive injuries may also be seen in the knee, bending and squatting for every conceivable job may cause this problem. A good aerobic and stretching program should help prevent most overuse injuries.

And finally, our life savers and safety workers, firefighters and police officers carry the potential for a multitude of injuries, especially muscular back pain. Back pain for these workers may be a result of carrying and climbing ladders, picking up people or sitting while driving their beat. Police officers and fire fighters must maintain flexibility in the hips and lower back. An aerobic program will keep them agile as well as strong, and it will combat the daily pressures placed on their backs.

Through identifying potential hazards such as lifting ladders, rearranging furniture or twisting a screwdriver, you will improve your chance of avoiding injury. Keep your eyes open for possible dangers and improve your technique, and practice job-specific exercises to reduce your chance of injury.

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