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• If you watch the sports news, you will often hear of athletes that suffer from injuries. In a lot of cases, this is due to the fact that they repeat the same type of motion practice after practice and game after game. Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, jumper’s knee are just a few of the common sports injuries.
• Think of a rope sliding back and forth over an edge. If you keep repeating the motion, the rope can get worn and frayed.
• As industrial athletes, injuries to muscles and other soft tissues happen when one part of the body is overused hour after hour, workday after workday.
• And since we don’t have an off-season, it’s doubly important that we find ways to reduce the stress on our body and ensure our body is able to recover during our work day.

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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• 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.

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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• When you think of your back, think of it as if you were building a house.
• Your hips and pelvis are the foundation, your spine is the frame, and your muscles and ligaments are the internal and external supports (drywall, plywood). Without all of these pieces, the house may not hold up under harsh conditions.
• Similarly, if your hips don’t move freely, your foundation (hips) will tilt or tip when working at low levels. With your foundation unstable, your back is likely to be in a bad position to weather the tasks and conditions that you place on it during your workday.
• Hip flexibility and core stability work together to keep your foundation and frame in stable and balanced. If your hips are mobile, it’s a lot easier to get lower (see the top row of pictures) with the back in good position. However, if either is missing, the other will compensate and can lead to poor back posture and eventually pain or strains (bottom left picture).
• If you want to have a healthy back, your number one aim should be to make sure that you can keep a neutral posture of the spine in everything that you do.
• Understanding what you can do today to keep your core stable and your hips mobile will help ensure you are living in a fortress rather than a shack.

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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• 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.

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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• 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.

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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• 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?

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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• 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.

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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• 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.

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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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!

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.

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Ergonomics is about fitting your job to you so that you don’t get injured. But some jobs require a lot of stress, strain or awkward postures. If you think of it, a lot of sports could be classified as ergonomic nightmares!

But in most organized sports, the first thing everyone does is warm-up, then a few drills and then they play the game. Have you ever asked yourself why you or your kids do these activities in this order?

Warm-ups are a great way to get the blood flowing and remind our body that it is time to get moving.

Doing exercises, drills or movement patterns specific to your sport or work (example squats) are a great way to remind your body how to move safely.

Is your body work ready or are you skating on thin ice?

The content of this article was written by ErgoRisk and has been republished in an online format at OnTask Rehab: your source for ergonomic and rehab articles and services.