Posture, Ergonomics & RSI Posture Prescription

RSI Repetitive Strain Injury

RSI Indicators

Sitting Right Exercises you can do at your desk The ever increasing number of patients visiting our hospital with posture and occupational related problems has got our alarm bells ringing to act in time to help you prevent potential work related musculoskeletal disorders, especially those working in the field of Information and Technology.

Harmony at work Ergonomics is all about improving compatibility between your body and an activity. The result is increased comfort and efficiency. The law of ergonomics is not restrained only to job related activities but applying the same principles you can make any given task less taxing physically and mentally.

Posture Prescription

Posture is the position in which you hold your body upright against gravity while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement or weight-bearing activities. Proper posture:

1. Keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are being used properly.

2. Helps decrease the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in arthritis.

3. Decreases the stress on the ligaments holding the joints of the spine together.

4. Prevents the spine from becoming fixed in abnormal positions.

5. Prevents fatigue because muscles are being used more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy.

6. Prevents strain or overuse problems.

7. Prevents backache and muscular pain.

8. Contributes to a good appearance.

TopRSI Repetitive Strain Injury A repetitive strain injury (RSI), also called repetitive stress injury, cumulative trauma disorder or occupational overuse syndrome, is any of a loose group of conditions from overuse of the computer, guitar, knife or similar motion or tool. It is an occupational overuse syndrome affecting muscles, tendons and nerves in the arms and upper back; hence it is also known as work related upper limb disorder or WRULD. The medically accepted condition in which it occurs is when muscles in these areas are kept tense for very long periods of time, due to poor posture and/or repetitive motions.

It is most common among assembly line and computer workers. Good posture, ergonomics and limiting time in stressful working conditions can help prevent or halt the progress of the disorder. Stretches, strengthening exercises, massages and biofeedback training to reduce neck and shoulder muscle tension can help heal existing disorders

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RSI Indicators

RSI conditions have many varied symptoms. The following may indicate the onset of an RSI.

Recurring pain or soreness in neck, shoulders, upper back, wrists or hands.

Tingling, numbness, coldness or loss of sensation.

Loss of grip strength, lack of endurance, weakness, fatigue.

Muscles in the arms and shoulders feel hard and wiry when palpated.

Pain or numbness while lying in bed. Often early stage RSI sufferers mistakenly think they are lying on their arms in an awkward position cutting off circulation.

Symptoms may be caused by apparently unrelated areas for example hand numbness may be caused by a nerve being pinched near the shoulder. In the initial stages of RSI, an area may be in quite bad condition but not feel painful unless it is massaged, or feel weak unless a long endurance exercise is performed. Therefore all areas of the upper body are considered when evaluating an RSI condition.

TopSitting Right

At the start of day you would probably be sitting right, that is on your sitting bones (the bony pressure points which you will feel if you sit on your palms), and as the day progresses you will notice that you are virtually sitting on your coccyx the tail bone. This happens because the muscles fatigue and forces you to slump down.

Solution: Never sit for more than 45 minutes at a stretch. Micro breaks are what I call them. Whenever you notice that you tend to slide down your seat, you body is actually telling you to move, walk, stretch!!

TopExercises you can do at your desk

Here are some exercises you can do at your desk during rest breaks. You need not to do all of them and the order in which you do them does not matter. Each exercise results in feeling some stretch. Hold each stretch 15 to 30 seconds and repeat three times. The number of repetitions and duration of each exercise are guidelines. BE SURE that, as you do the exercises, you feel only a gentle stretch and no pain. If you begin to feel pain, reduce the number of repetitions, shorten the time you hold the position, or do not do the exercise.

1. Hold both hands out in front of you and stretch them for a few seconds.

Hold both hands out in front of you and curl your fingers and thumbs under at the first knuckle and hold for a few seconds, splaying the fingers until you feel a gentle stretch.

With your arms out straight in front of you, raise your right hand so your palm is facing away from you and place the palm of the left hand on the fingers of the right. Press the fingers toward you with the left hand until you feel a gentle stretch. Change hands and repeat.

With your arms out straight in front of you, drop the right hand down and bend at the wrist. Place the left hand on the knuckles of the right and press toward you until you feel a gentle stretch in the top of the wrist of the right hand. Change hands and repeat.

Hold your right hand in front of you, palm up, and use your left hand to massage your right. Massage the inside and outside of the hand and between the fingers. Change hands and repeat.With your arms straight in front of you, lace your fingers together. Then turn your hands down and over so your palms are facing away from you and press until your arms are straight.

2. Tilt your head to one side and hold for a few seconds until you feel a stretch in the side of your neck. Repeat on the other side.

3. Place your palms on your shoulder tips and rotate your elbows clockwise and anti clockwise. Hold your palms and stretch out your arms behind.