HOW ARE PHYSICAL THERAPISTS INVOLVED IN ERGONOMICS?

Physical therapists play an important role in injury prevention. Their entry into the world of ergonomics allows them to provide specific injury-prevention strategies for workers and employees. As experts in the musculoskeletal system and in movement, physical therapists are naturally well-positioned to analyze the workplaces and activities of workers in the same way they do the movements and motions of an athlete.

Some physical therapists will pursue a certification in ergonomic assessment and prescription. These therapists are often brought in by employers to analyze a specific workplace or workflow either to address an individual employee’s symptoms or to optimize the ergonomics of an entire group of workers. Physical therapists who have not pursued a special certification in ergonomics will still educate their patients on adjustments they can make to their workspace to help limit exacerbation of a current injury or symptom and prevent new symptoms from arising in the future.

When performing an ergonomic assessment there are many aspects for a therapist to consider:

Frequency & duration: The dose and frequency of a particular activity or position is very important in determining whether it will cause unwanted soft tissue or musculoskeletal symptoms. For example, an employee that spends 7-8 hours seated at a desk will be much more likely to experience symptoms caused by an unsupportive chair than an employee that sits in the chair for 2-3 minutes at a time, 1-2x per hour. Similarly, how many breaks and how frequently a worker can take a break from their work is an important consideration as well.

Equipment and tools: Equipment and tools are very important when assessing workplace ergonomics. Workers that use hand tools or operate large equipment often perform repetitive motions. Some workers may perform two to three motions repeatedly throughout their entire shift with almost no variability. Even those that work at a computer are typing and mousing for hours at a time. Repetitive stress injuries can easily occur as a result of these repetitive motions.

Environmental organization: How a workplace is physically organized can increase or decrease the risk of developing a musculoskeletal or soft tissue injury. An employee that works at an L-shaped desk with one computer monitor in front of them and one to their left may be constantly turning their head and looking to the left in order to access data on the second screen. A grocery worker who is six foot four inches and who stands at the checkout counter may have to bend down all day to reach items on the belt.

Posture and performance: How a worker performs a task is just as important as how much and how often. Oftentimes the posture a worker assumes or the motions they use to complete a task are necessitated by the equipment they have available and how this equipment or their workstation is set up. Using one arm, for example, to perform a repetitive task without ever using the other can predispose that arm to injury. Twisting to move items from one location to another without also turning the feet can easily lead to pain over time. Looking down at a computer screen that is too low can lead to neck discomfort after 6-8 hours of work.

Workplace roles: Many employees have limited roles in the workplace and therefore tend to perform few tasks repetitively and sustain few postures for long periods of time. Those who switch activities and postures more frequently may be at less risk for developing work-related musculoskeletal or soft tissue symptoms than those who do not.

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help with ergonomics related issues, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20+ different physical therapy sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

Looking for the cause of an injury

While full recovery and return to play is the ultimate goal when it comes to injury rehabilitation, a physical therapist has much more to offer. We are interested in identifying the factors that may have predisposed you to the injury in the first place so that we can make a plan to address them. This helps decrease your risk for future injury. Here are some factors that we look for when assessing a player:

• Muscle strength, power and endurance
• Flexibility and mobility in muscles and joints
• Sleep, nutrition and recovery time
• Training schedule
• History of prior injury
• The physical demands of a player’s position on the team

While some injuries are unavoidable, there may be times when internal and external factors play a role. Identifying these factors allows us to address them with a good physical therapy program or give advice on beneficial modifications to your training.

Movement and Performance Analyses