FEATURE A COSTLY DISORDER
Sarah Moverley, Head of Human Resources at The Health Insurance Group, takes a look at musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace.
According to the Labour Force Survey, a survey of the employment circumstances of the UK population, an estimated 9.5million working days were lost due to MSDs, with an average of 17 days lost for each case. MSDs represented 40% of all days lost due to work related ill health in 2014/15.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a group of painful disorders that can affect the body’s muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that MSDs and related injuries cost society more than £5.7 billion.
MSDs and its effects worsen over time and are caused either by the work itself or by an employee’s working environment. Repetitive strain injuries, repetitive motion injuries, cumulative trauma or soft tissue disorders are probably more familiar names for MSDs. All involve some kind of movement such as bending, straightening, gripping, holding, twisting or reaching. None are particularly harmful in daily life but what makes them so hazardous is the continual repetition, sometimes in a forceful manner.
The most worrying thing about these types of disorders is that they can affect workers in almost every occupation and prove a long-term problem for the individuals involved, as well as their employers.
Not all MSDs are preventable, but there are plenty of ways of reducing the risks in the workplace and many techniques available to minimise the amount of working days lost.
PREVENTION Prevention is obviously better than a cure, but an early diagnosis can prevent an MSD-related condition turning into anything more serious. Spotting an issue in its infancy could mean a slight change in a job or its set-up that minimises repetitive or excessive actions.
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In addition, every workplace should carry out some sort of health and safety risk assessment to highlight any potential problems, as well as provide advice on how to avoid them. For most employees this will cover any tasks that involve lifting, the immediate working environment and use of any machinery.
KEEP ON MOVING Employees should always keep active and exercise to maintain suppleness and flexibility. If deskbound, physiotherapists encourage ‘active- sitting’ which simply means being active at the desk. The knees and back are the main areas of concern so make sure they move or have a break for a workout.
Stretching is also beneficial as it promotes circulation and reduces muscle tension. However, people that already have a pre-existing condition should consult a doctor before adding workplace exercise to the daily routine.
Exercise and regular activity also happen to be one of the best tonics for overstressed-workers. Different exercises appeal to different people so as an employer you should offer a variety of sports that appeal to everyone such as badminton, football, yoga and zumba.
Employees should also be reminded that everyone benefits from being active and encouraged to move around their environment.
POSTURING It sounds rather dull but organising your desk space into the optimum position can also work wonders. The wrong desk set-up and awkwardly arranged computer equipment can cause injuries and pain associated with the neck, shoulder, back and arm, as well as fatigue with eyestrain.
Almost everyone will suffer back pain at some point, but poor working practices can cause serious problems that lead to long-term injuries. The prevention of back problems requires
careful management, so it is important to always report any problems as early as possible and seek medical advice.
People suffering from mild back pain are advised by medical experts to stay as active as possible because most problems will get better on their own.
“FIGURES FROM THE HSE SHOW THAT
MSDs AND RELATED INJURIES COST SOCIETY MORE
THAN £5.7 BILLION.”
Any risks associated with a particular job should have been identified by risk assessment but following the right procedures around lifting, posture and working patterns should reduce the risks.
MSDS AND OLDER WORKERS The appropriate treatment and management of musculoskeletal disorders are set to become increasingly important, given the steep increase in MSDs with age and the fact that the workforce are now expected to work for longer. MSD rates also vary according to socioeconomic status. For example, low-income employees are more likely to need to extend their working lives, meaning that they are more likely to be working while managing an MSD. While there is a link between MSDs and obesity, there is also an association between weight loss and recovering from, or alleviating symptoms related to, an MSD.
WORTH THE EFFORT It is in everyone’s interest for staff to be healthy and productive. Research shows that looking after your workforce actually saves money, so it
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