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written by ErgoRisk

Back Injury Risk Factors

• Back injuries can come from many different causes.
• While causes can range from your fitness level to stress, there are some factors you can look for every time you start a task.

1. DISTANCE * – The farther away an object is from our body, the greater the pressure on our back. The combination of the weight of the object plus the hidden weight of our body (arms and torso) can add up to a problem for our back (* Number 1 Risk Factor).
   Your goal: Keep the load as close to your body as possible.
2. HEIGHT – When lifting an object from ground level, most of us have trouble keeping good back posture. Lifting a heavy object with a flat or slouched back decreases low back stability. 
   Your goal: Store heavy objects above knee height and use carts or other tools to manage the work height.
3. TWISTING – Due to the structure of the discs (shock absorbers), twisting makes them weaker.
   Your goal: Move your feet when lifting and carrying rather than twisting. Check the layout of your work area to eliminate or minimize twisting.
4. HIGH REPETITION and lifting are a bad combination. Fatigued muscles can lead to bad posture and poor technique.
   Your goal: Warm-up prior to starting, work at a sustainable pace and take frequent breaks.

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written by ErgoRisk

Core Stability

• Did you know? After your first back injury, you are three times more likely to suffer another back injury?
• But Why? At the root of most back injuries are poor postural and movement habits.
• Hip mobility and core stability are two key principles that work to keep the back healthy.
• A neutral spine, supported on all sides by healthy, strong muscles, is what constitutes ‘core stability’. The back is 16 times stronger in a neutral S-shaped position than when out of this proper alignment.
• When you watch athletes perform a sport, watch their torso. The elite athletes are able to maintain good body and spine position (spine is in neutral position) no matter what their competitors or terrain throw at them (see photo).
• Balancing balls, wobble boards and many other training tools have recently become popular. They are all aimed at helping people strengthen their core, in order to help them perform at a higher level, more efficiently and safely.
• Whether it’s at work or play, being able to maintain a neutral back posture with good stability is an essential step to maintaining a healthy back.

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written by ErgoRisk

High Force - It does not have to be heavy to hurt you

• Force is involved every time someone develops an MSI. After all, if nobody moved, nobody would get hurt! BUT – high force doesn’t have to be 100 pounds, it just needs to be more than your working tissues can take in any one position
• Face it, you’re not surprised when someone gets injured lifting something 100 pounds. But sometimes we act surprised when someone injures their shoulder lifting or twisting something overhead (even something 10 lbs).
• Should we be surprised?
• The key is that in both cases, it is simply that the force (10 or 100 lbs) exceeded the person’s strength in that position.
• The good news is that if you take a second to ‘fit’ your work to use your stronger muscles, your risk of injury will be much lower.

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written by ErgoRisk

Stronger than Muscle - Working Smart

Have you ever heard of the saying: “Engage your brain before putting mouth in gear”?

Putting your brain in gear before starting your work can save you a lot of pain and strain. Ask:

• Do you know what you are supposed to do?
• Do you have all of the tools where you need them?
• Are there any obstructions that you can clear to make the job easier?
• Put your ‘Ergo’ hat on and think – there must be a simpler way!

Simple solutions like raising your work off the floor, taking a few extra minutes to find a cart, a dolly, or a forklift can save you a few minutes or a sore back for weeks.

As always, our muscles only get stronger when they are used. Shift your gears and try a couple of ‘brain’ repetitions today!

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written by ErgoRisk

Awkward Posture

• Why is it that we can lift 100 pounds in one position but only 10 pounds in another?
• The key is that when our body is poorly positioned, muscles controlling our joints are not at their strongest length.
• Short or long muscles are weaker and have to work much harder than when using our muscles in good posture.
• Working harder (more force) means that your muscles are closer to their maximum and more likely to get strained.
• Try holding your hands over your head like the guy in the picture for two minutes. Your upper back muscles (in a shortened position) will quickly remind you to always look for ways to bring work into our comfort zone (between knees and chest).
• If your job requires that you work in awkward postures, look for ways to raise or lower your work in order to make it easier.
• If you can’t, find ways to take short, frequent breaks.

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written by ErgoRisk

Building Blocks of Your Back

Our backs are quite simply amazing!! Consider the feats of physical excellence that humans can achieve, most of which are impossible without a healthy back.

Since close to 80% of us will suffer back pain in our lives, learning how to work safely and prevent back injury is essential to our health, wellness and livelihoods.

Our spines are made up of a few important building blocks.

Our spine is created out of bones called vertebrae which help support our body weight and are designed specifically to protect our nerves and spinal cord. Since the bones at the bottom support more weight, they are bigger.

Discs are positioned in between each vertebrae and act as flexible shock absorbers and spacers which allow room between the bones for the nerves to exit the spinal cord.

Ligaments hold the bones together and protect us when we try to move too far.

A complicated network of muscles both stabilizes the back as well as allowing us to move into a myriad of different positions.

Back injury and pain commonly occur when one of these 4 systems is continually overstressed. Whether it’s a disc, a ligament or a muscle, the problem can usually be tracked back to the way we use or misuse our body on a daily basis.

On a scale of 1-10, is your spine built on a rock solid foundation or is it soon to be a leaning tower?

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written by ErgoRisk

Neutral and Balanced Posture

One of the most important cornerstones of back care is ‘neutral’ posture. Neutral posture is when the spine has an inward curve in the low back (lumbar curve), a slight outward curve in the mid back (thoracic curve) and an inward curve in the vertebrae of the neck (cervical curve).

This S-shape is the natural curve of the spine and is the position in which the back is the strongest (16X stronger than when slouched in a C-shape) and the one where we are least likely to injure ourselves.

Look for this ‘power position’ in the way athletes use their backs. Watch elite golfers generate power from their S-curve while you hack away with a hunched over ‘C’ shaped back. ‘S’ for Strong and ‘S’ for safe!
Whether you are at work or play, the aim should be to keep the spine stable and in ‘neutral’.

Remember when we talk about spine shape: S – STRONG! C – Crumbling!

Don’t just take it from us. Join a yoga, Pilates, or ski clinic and your instructors will reinforce that this is the posture where we are the strongest, most efficient and most stable.

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written by ErgoRisk

Set Your Chair, Support Your Spine

In the office, our aim should be the same as if we were pounding down a mogul run. That is, our spine should be neutral, balanced and stable.

In the office, our chairs and how we use them have a major impact on whether we are able to achieve this.
For instance, did you know that sitting bolt upright is NOT the best position for your back? Ideally you should have your chair back slightly reclined (we’re not talking La-Z-Boy). If you sit slightly back from vertical then gravity will keep you pressed back into firm contact with your chair backrest. If you sit bolt upright, the minute you shift your weight slightly forward to reach for your keyboard or mouse, gravity tries to push you over into a hunched posture…..and usually gravity comes out the winner!

Use the following tips to make sure your chair is a good fit:

• Are your hips shifted to the back of the seat?
• Are your feet comfortably flat on the floor?
• Is there 2”-4” of space between the back of your knees and the back of your leg?
• Do you have good contact between your back and the chair backrest?
• Is the inward curve in your low back supported by your chair?
• As the pictures show on the right, you can support your back safely in many seated positions. The key is to set up your work area and chair so that you can reach everything while sitting in a well supported posture. It doesn’t matter how well your chair fits, if you lean forward out of it to squint at your monitor that is too far away, then all bets are off!

Try to eliminate the factors that pull you into a slouched posture, and then stand and stretch regularly – your back will thank you!

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written by ErgoRisk

Back Building Blocks

• Do you ever stop and think that nearly every move you make relies on a healthy back? Ask someone who has had a back problem and they probably remember having difficulty doing simple tasks like brushing their teeth or tying their shoes.
• Since close to 80% of us will suffer back pain in our lives, learning how to work safely and prevent back injury is essential.
• Our spines are made up of a few important building blocks.
• Bones in our spine support our body weight and protect the nerves.
• Discs (in between the bones) act as flexible shock absorbers and spacers for the nerves to exit the spinal cord
• Ligaments hold the bones together and protect us when we try to move too far
• Muscles protect the structures in our back. Some produce movement while others provide stability.
• On a scale of 1-10, is your spine built on a rock solid foundation or is it soon to be a leaning tower?

This article was
written by ErgoRisk

Strong Foundation

Of course, one of the biggest factors that can lead to back pain is simply the amount of time that we spend sitting EVERY day.

We sit for in our car during our commute, sit at work, sit on the couch and at our home workstation. Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit. Obviously our body wasn’t designed to sit for days, months and years on end.

So, what can you do? The key to protecting the back is understanding that we need to find a better balance for our back and the stresses that we put on it.

Exercises are a great way to build back strength, flexibility and endurance. For example, yoga and Pilates promote strengthening muscles that support spine in a neutral posture.

Core stability exercises (e.g. theraballs, Bosu ball, floor exercises) are also great ways to strengthen the muscles that support our spine.

Hip mobility exercises (e.g. floor exercises, Yoga, Pilates) – specific stretches and exercises for hips and thigh muscles which can cause muscle imbalances and impact the function and posture of the low back
Microbreaks and stretch breaks – If you spend 8 hours on the computer, shouldn’t you at least give your back a break for a few seconds? Try to get up from your workstation as frequently as possible. Doing a back bend is a great way to “rebalance” your back if you have been working for a long time. Installing microbreak software like WorkRave is a great way to develop good habits.

Stand rather than sit – Try to incorporate brief standing task and breaks into your work day. Walk to the photocopier, stand to answer the phone, or just stretch back in your chair periodically for a change of position.

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written by ErgoRisk

Static Posture- Can Staying Still Hurt Me?

• If 100 or 1000 repetitions is too many, is one working posture too few? YES!
• Even standing for a long time in optimal posture like a ‘BeefEater’ can cause discomfort and pain.
• The muscles that help us with posture are the hardest workers in the body. They turn on and off as we move from position to position. But, if we stay in one position for too long, they can get tired and sore.
• Other parts of our back can also become weaker when we stay one position for long periods.
• If you find that yourself working in one posture for long periods of time, get creative to find ways to change your posture, even for a short period. Standing versus sitting, using something to sit on versus kneeling, widening your stance or finding something to lean on temporarily can give you a leg up on this ergonomic enemy.

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written by ErgoRisk

Safe Lifting - Easy as 1-2-3

Lifting is a part of many jobs. So much so that we sometimes don’t question what we are lifting or how we are ‘getting the job done’.

Unfortunately, many injuries occur when we fail to be mindful of the work at hand. 

It’s important to recognize that safe lifting has as much to do about personal awareness on the job as it does physical strength. Remember, lots of strong workers injure their back every day.

The following is a tool to identify safe lifting tasks and recognize tasks that could be improved.