Category Archives: Uncategorized

“We’re Expanding to Cleveland…”

Posted on by

cleveland indians stadium

Ergonomics is, first and foremost, about culture. It’s easy for employees to feel that “my employer won’t let me clock out now,” or “I need to work myself into the ground.” These are not healthy thoughts.  However, they are rather common when considering the cultural pressure placed on some employees.   Employees need to feel comfortable to break when needed, rest their eyes from the computer, and perform critical stretches to limit strain.

Expanding to Cleveland & Detroit

When thinking of where to expand to, the Midwest cities of Cleveland and Detroit came to mind. Here we had the image of hard-working Americans working in the factories. Of course, the reality is more complex. But there is something to that image.

A Great Working Culture

With employee putting in long hours, some companies have responded in kind.   Some cute examples:

1) Quicken Loans give cakes to employees on their birthday.

2) Progressive provides a flexible working culture.  They train employee to advance their technical skills and advance in the company .

3) GM provides employees with personalized mentorship and offers various career advancement opportunities.

Companies invest in their employees fostering loyalty and productivity.  Ergonomics, then, is the next step in employee investment. It’s about looking at employee health individually while seeing how he or she fits into the company’s greater parts. It’s about recognizing injury risk and preventing problems before they begin. Our ergonomic specialists are trained in rehab and preventative medicine. We can identify why companies experience more claims and what can be done to avoid repetitive strain injuries in the future. So to conclude: Detroit and Cleveland companies… we are here for you.

Thanks for reading!

Shaul Lent OT/L, MA, CEAS
Lead Ergonomic Specialist
Ergonomics Advance.

Minimize Claims

Posted on by

The Risk of Injury

Exercises recommended by an ergonomic specialist

We spend much of our day in the same position.  Whether sitting in a chair or standing in front of an assembly line, out limbs are constantly moving.  According to the National Business Group on Health, one in a hundred employees sustain a repetitive motion injury.  On average, each of these injuries cost a company $27,700 per case. These are not fluke accidents or unavoidable experiences. Many of these injuries are preventable (National Business Group on Health, 2011).  Employees are repeating the same motion, day-in and day-out, usually in an awkward position.  They are typing or using the mouse for more than six hours a day while keeping the wrist and fingers in poor positions.  They are repetitively bending the back to lift heavy loads.   While these activities might seem safe, it is these repetitive motions and positions that pose the greatest risk to an employee’s health.

So how can we help?

Ergonomic specialists design workstations, teach people proper habits, and make individualized equipment recommendations. We could recommend an adjustable chair to ensure neutral postures or develop an exercise routine to keep tissues healthy.  Ergonomic specialists have had a lot of success reducing the risk of injury.  Companies who have implemented a successful ergonomic program are able to reduce disability days between 10-35%. With a successful ergonomic program, companies have also been able to reduce turnover rates as well as improve return to work rates (Heller-Ono, 2014).  At Ergonomics Advance, we are here to help .  With our expertise, your company too can reduce the risk of workplace injury.  To find out more, please contact us.  

Thanks for reading,

Shaul Lent OT/L, MA, CEAS I & II
Lead Ergonomic Specialist
Ergonomics Advance

 

Sources:

National Business Group on Health (2011). Fact Sheet Overexertion injuries. https://www.businessgrouphealth.org

Heller-Ono, A (2014) A Prospective Study of a Macro-ergonomics Process over Five Years Demonstrates Significant Prevention of Workers’ Compensation Claims Resulting in Projected Savings. Evaluation 30:90

picture of change in neon lights; describing making positive changes in ergonomics Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

How Can We Change? An Ergonomic Lens

Posted on by

Introduction

How can we change? How can we transform our unconscious habits and ingrained routine? Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) believed that human beings can change through making the “unconscious conscious.” Our unconscious influences our behavior.   We can begin to change once we recognize the hidden forces that lead to dysfunctional behavior.

What else is there to change?

Freud might have been right with some elements of psychoanalysis, however psychologists have found other ways to alter behavior. Researchers James O. Prochaska, John C. Norcross, and Carlo C. Diclemente (2006) have found that human beings go through several stages before they can change. People start changing by first recognizing their dysfunctional habits. They move to preparing to change (“I will stop smoking on New Years”) to acting on that change (“I have stopped smoking on New Years”). People then need to maintain their new behavior, actively preventing relapses. Finally, human beings go through the process called termination where temptations and the fear of relapse never threaten the individual.

 

Why are these stages of change so important?

When looking at change through this step-by-step model, good self-changers can use different treatment types depending on the stage they are in. When a person, for example, is just starting their journey of change, they should try to raise their awareness of the problem. Frued’s idea of making the “unconscious conscious” would be more effective during this period. Psychoanalysis, however, will only increase our awareness of the problem. It fails to properly take into account preparing for change and altering and maintaining overt behavior. Shrewdly, good self-changers chose to control the environment like staying away from smokers or providing rewards for good behaviors (Prochaska et al., Changing for Good, 55-60).

How can these methods improve workplace ergonomics?

From an ergonomist’s perspective, habits play a critical role in promoting discomfort at work. Employee sit at their desk for hours on end. They sit awkwardly, refuse to regularly stretch, and want to alleviate discomfort with a “quick fix” – all without changing their behavior.

Everyday work habits are some of the hardest behaviors to break. They are repetitively performed and ingrained in our (sub)conscious. However, conditioned habits can be changed. Using the above model to apply ergonomic change, we can begin to understand the ways in which computer users can change their behavior.

Recognizing the Problem

Computer users with poor ergonomic habits first need to recognize that a problem exists. Employees have a tendency to overlook back and neck discomfort. Focused on their tasks, they fail to notice, for example, that not stretching or bending at the back to view a screen is a problem.

Understanding the Root Cause

Next, computer users should ask themselves what exactly is causing the discomfort? Perhaps stress has been causing awkward posture. Maybe, your workstation is too tall, which results in awkward reaching. An ergonomic consultant can help you figure out exactly what has been causing this discomfort.

Implementing a Strong Action Plan

Next, the individual should develop an action plan. Based on their own estimate or an ergonomic specialist’s recommendation, people will, for example, implement stretching routine or a install articulating monitor arms to decrease awkward bending at the neck. When the plan is implemented, we should remember that as human beings, we respond well to rewards in the environment where the changed behavior is taking place.

After shoulder and wrist stiffness, for example, a person might decide to stretch the wrist, shoulders, and scapular (See here and here for some wrist stretching ideas). Once the stretching plan is in place, people can use positive reinforcement for each week they successfully enact the stretching plan. Even a small reward like sipping a cup of hot cocoa or buying a $5 gift on Amazon each week the stretching plan is enacted can make a world of difference.

It is important to emphasize we should reward ourselves in the place where the desired behavior takes place (See Clark, 2007). For computer users, this means rewarding yourself at the office. Using positive reinforcement will help solidify that stretching plan, habitualize proper body mechanics, and increase proper usage of that keyboard tray or standing desk.

Conclusion

We cannot change immediately. As Prochaska et al. (2006) demonstrated, human beings go through several stages before they can permanently alter their behavior. These principles can be applied to good ergonomics as well. Learning the basics of ergonomics (i.e. body mechanics, stretching and product recommendations) can help us recognize ergonomic problems and enact change that is thoughtful and positively reinforced. (For more information about Office Ergonomics Training, click here). Improving office wellness and comfort is usually not a quick fix. The first step is simply recognizing that there is an ergonomic problem.

koala lumbar support_ergonomic assessment

The Ergonomic Evaluation and Lumbar Supports

Posted on by

Which lumbar cushion should I get? 

As ergonomic experts specializing in providing ergonomic assessments and evaluations, we really need to see exactly how you interface with your computer first before we can decide if a lumbar support is right for you.   However, for our readers looking for ergonomic tips and those looking to perform a self administered ergonomic assessment it is always good to understand the purpose of a lumbar support and to think critically before investing in one.

Before purchasing a lumbar support, clients must first see if his or her chair already provides lumbar (lower back) support and if this support is sufficient.  Many ergonomic chairs nowadays come with some lumbar support.  And, while most ergonomic chairs do provide adequate support for a person’s lower back, some do not.  Additionally, lumbar cushions can reduce the seat depth of your chair and could put certain individuals on the edge of their seat.  With that said, there are some great lumbar supports that adapt to a person’s back curvature.  These types of supports and cushions could fit even a taller person.  Many of my clients love the adjustable mesh lumbar supports that adjusts to your individual back shape.  You control the amount of lumbar support based on the curvature of your spine and the amount of pressure you place on the support when sitting back in your chair.  Some clients, on the other hand, prefer a larger, more supportive lumbar cushion.  I once had a lumbar cushion that did not fit anybody.  However, during an ergonomic assessment in Los Angeles one of my clients loved this cushion.  Out of all the lumbar supports I showed him, he always came back to the big and bulky lumbar cushion.  It fit him according to his particular back curvature and chair.  He tried it out for a few days, continued to compliment the cushion, and purchased it.

So, when I get the question: “Should I get a lumbar support or cushion?” I always answer, “let me see how one could fit during an ergonomic assessment.”  Clients should always try out lumbar supports and cushions before purchasing.  What fits one person, might not fit another.  Client preference is one of the most important considerations in ergonomics.  If the product does not fit your dimensions or your chair during your visit with an ergonomic consultant, don’t get it.  If the cushion feels right and it does not put you on the edge of your seat, then it’s for you.

Thanks for reading,

Shaul Lent CEAS, MA, OTR/L