Rachel stretched back in her chair and shut her eyes. She put down her glasses and massaged the tight muscles
in her neck. She noticed that the nagging pain in her neck had spread to the middle of her back. She sighed as another day ended with stress, soreness and fatigue.
Sound familiar? This probably describes how most of us who spend long hours sitting in front of the computer feel at the end of the day. We are slowly waking up to the fact that our stressful work habits may be the cause of the constant discomfort we feel, but can’t put our finger on.
This awareness has given rise to what we call the Work-related Physical Stress Phenomenon. In short, I am referring to one key principle: How the body can age and literally degenerate in response to unhealthy work habits.
in her neck. She noticed that the nagging pain in her neck had spread to the middle of her back. She sighed as another day ended with stress, soreness and fatigue.
Sound familiar? This probably describes how most of us who spend long hours sitting in front of the computer feel at the end of the day. We are slowly waking up to the fact that our stressful work habits may be the cause of the constant discomfort we feel, but can’t put our finger on.
This awareness has given rise to what we call the Work-related Physical Stress Phenomenon. In short, I am referring to one key principle: How the body can age and literally degenerate in response to unhealthy work habits.
"Health problems caused by long hours sitting in front of a computer are jeopardizing the health of the work force and affecting corporate America's ability to compete in the global economy," said Dr. Peter F. Ullrich, medical director of Spine-health and an orthopedic spine surgeon.
It is true! The body ages and degenerates in response to the stress that we consistently subject it to, i.e. work-related stress. We have medical laws that support this principle. Do a Google search for Wolff’s Law (bone), Davis’s Law (muscle), Laplace’s Law (nerve) and you will see that the human body will grow and develop normally or age and degenerate abnormally all based on the quantity and quality of physical stress.
Think about it this way. What happens when a person goes to the gym to lift weights? They stress their body in order to change it, right? When the stress is normal and healthy the body will grow and develop in a positive direction. However, when the stress is abnormal and unhealthy the body will grow and develop in a negative direction. We usually see this in the form of injury, strains and sprains, bad postures, sore muscles, flexibility problems, etc.
Do you know how to control how much abnormal, unhealthy stress your body is subjected to in any given day? If you don’t know how to calculate and control this - you better learn how to figure it out. For this could be the single largest determining factor in how healthy your body will be by this time next year, 5 years from now, and especially 10-20 years from now.
Ergonomics is more than just having a fancy chair, mouse or keyboard to play with. You must learn how to control and positively influence your body mechanics at work and at home. You can take control of your work-related stress. In fact, health statistics say you better figure it out before it is too late.
Your habits dictate how you age. Don’t let work-related physical stress affect your health and your well being any longer. Learn and share the principles and teachings we offer in this office.
NEW – COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENT:
The first 2 weeks in March (2nd - 13th) is “Healthy at Work – Healthy for Life”. Do you know someone who works at a desk all day? Give them this newsletter. Tell them to receive a free ergonomics and wellness evaluation. See the front desk for more details.
Speak up and educate others,
