EXPLAINER / KNOW HOW
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s a musculoskeletal physiotherapist, I see a variety of injuries such as back pain, frozen shoulders, sprains, strains and tears. However, with more people working from home during the pandemic – and with many organisations not ready to facilitate this change – we are seeing an increase in patients with pain in their lower and upper back and neck, inflamed wrists, elbows and hip tendons. This is because of poor posture and prolonged sitting. Not having ergonomic office equipment has led people to work from their beds, couches or chairs that do not support their posture while working. So they started experiencing more pain in the neck, lower back and upper back. Many use kitchen tables as desks, but dining chairs are lower than office chairs and non-adjustable, increasing pressure on tendons/nerves and caused back and neck problems. Moreover, people were less active during the pandemic, increasing other long-term health risks such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, depression and anxiety.
Maximise your temporary set-up
The first step is adjusting an improper workspace to mitigate risks of injury. Equipment such as adjustable tables and chairs, laptop raisers, ergonomic PC peripherals are critical. It’s crucial that employers take appropriate steps to support their remote employees just as they would in an office setting.
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In the interim, people might: ● Use an ironing board as a table because the height can be adjusted; ● Place laptops on a pile of books to raise the screen to eye level; and ● Adjust chair heights using cushions or try to create a footrest for better posture. Note: these solutions are not a longterm substitute for a proper home working set-up. Employers can help remote workers by: ● Launching wellbeing programmes such as physical activity challenges; ● Encouraging walking meetings; and ● Reducing the duration of meetings so employees can step away from their desks.
CORP OR AT E P H YS I O
Pain in the neck We should take a holistic approach to wellbeing, understanding the interconnectedness between physical, mental and emotional health, says Kubra Senol Hamid Out of hours
Your workstation is one consideration, but so too are your health behaviours. Start with regular physical activity. Exercise is incredibly important for improving your posture, overall physical and mental wellbeing, and quality of life. Aim for 150300 minutes of moderate physical activity a week as well as muscle strengthening exercises twice a week. Other factors to consider: ● Sleep for at least seven hours a night; ● Eat a balanced and healthy diet, avoiding unhealthy snacks; and ● Drink enough fluids. Additionally, prioritise social connection. Loneliness inhibits human flourishing and can have similar impacts on wellbeing and longevity as obesity or smoking. Meeting with friends and relatives, helping others and having conversations with new people can help people feel socially connected.
The employer’s role
1 Train managers to support
their team’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing; 2 Arrange workshops about exercising, sleep, nutrition/hydration and stress management to build awareness of core musculoskeletal and mental health issues; 3 Carry out workplace audits to ensure work culture, office facilities and remote work infrastructure support employees; 4 Conduct employee assessments to understand employees’ musculoskeletal disorders as early as possible; and 5 Provide access to virtual or face-to-face physiotherapy sessions to help employees get support quicker.
KUBR A SENOL HAMID is a chartered physiotherapist and co-founder C | P | W, a corporate physiotherapy and wellbeing provider
Having a dedicated budget for employee wellbeing and making it a key pillar of the workplace and HR strategies is critical to reduce sickness absences and presenteeism, thereby boosting productivity and staff retention. Organisations will find it helpful to partner with a corporate wellness provider to support employees’ wellbeing.
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