The most common work-related health complaint is lower back pain

And when it comes to back pain in the workplace, we are quite often talking about a failure in ergonomics. Ergonomics is actually an applied science that studies human efficiency as it relates to the surrounding environment. Ergonomics in an office setting can be expensive, and because of this few employers invest the time or energy needed to set their employees up for ergonomic success. This is a let-down from multiple perspectives: poor ergonomics hamper productivity but it also contributes to poor health, degrading the asset that is the physical worker. At Associates in Chiropractic, we want to empower workers to take ergonomics into their own hands to prevent lower back pain from ergonomic injuries. 

Ergonomic injuries are on the rise

Posture is a difficult proposition: the human body is simply not meant to remain in any one position (especially not seated) for extended periods of time. If we must be seated in order to be productive, we must take steps to prevent injuries related to ergonomics and posture. The main ergonomic risk factors facing workers include:

• Poor posture
• Poorly adjusted work stations
• Repetitive motions which cause trauma

But overcoming ergonomic risk factors is not as simple as fixing your posture. It begins with developing the core-stabilizing muscles to develop a profound support base that shares the burden of sitting and upper body weight with the lower vertebrae and intervertebral discs. It then incorporates postural techniques supported by properly-adjusted chairs, armrests, desks and monitors. This is more than just overcoming ergonomic injuries; it is a lifestyle. 

Embrace an ergonomic lifestyle

At our office in Hackensack, we want to help you change your ergonomics for the better so that they support your instead of leading you down the road toward injury and disability. If you are interested in using our services to prevent workplace injury, or rehabilitate existing ones, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today.