10 June 2022 posted by Recovery Partners

Whether you’re feeling stiff or you’ve’ started a new job (congrats!), these are some of the signs you need an ergonomic assessment.

  1. You’ve never had one

If you’ve never had an ergonomic assessment, how do you know if your equipment and set up is ergonomically friendly?

Our bodies are not intended to adopt and maintain the postures imposed by some modern-day workplaces and work tasks. Preventable musculoskeletal injuries are often the combination of a poor selection of general workplace equipment such as chairs, laptops, keyboards and mice and the way individuals interact with these devices.

As the old adage goes, the best time to get an ergonomic assessment was when you first started your role, and the second-best time is now.

  1. You have a new desk set up

Whether you’ve started a new job, you’re working from home or you’ve returned to the office after a while away, if you have a new desk set up, then it’s time for an ergonomic assessment.

Now is the perfect time to get set up properly and avoid musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) issues down the track.

  1. Your feet don’t touch the floor

Legs are not supposed to dangle from office chairs. Feet need to be flat on the floor (or on a foot rest) to help keep the pelvis balanced.

The pelvis needs to be balanced to ensure your core muscles don’t have to work overtime to compensate and put strain on your back.

If your feet aren’t touching the floor then your desk or chair might be too high and you may need new equipment or at the very least, a foot rest.

  1. Your back/neck/body is sore

If you’re already feeling sore, it’s not too late.

Don’t make a bad situation even worse by ignoring the pain and discomfort you’re in.

If you’re like any of the 6.9 million Australians who suffer from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), you might need to a day off work to recover as well as take time out of the week for various specialist appointments. Not only is it a pain in the neck (literally) for you and your employer, the annual total cost of MSDs in Australia is calculated to be over 24 billion dollars.

Save your sick days for something better by getting an ergonomic assessment now.

  1. You’re crossing your legs while you sit

You may not even notice it, but if you do catch yourself crossing your legs, you might already be trying to compensate for your fatigued muscles or sore lower back.  

It could be a question of which came first, the leg crossing or the discomfort which lead to the leg crossing?

Regardless of the reason, this poor posture is hazardous not only for physical safety but also for motivation, productivity and quality of work. 

6. You have wrist and arm pain

We’ve spoken about backs and legs, but wrists and arms can also be casualties of a poor ergonomic set up.

When typing, the wrists should hover above the desk not drop down and rest on it. If the pain is in your dominant hand, you may need to use a more ergonomic mouse.

If left untreated, severe wrist pain could worsen over time and further deteriorate pre-existing injuries such as Carpel Tunnel or Repetitive Strain Injury.

How Recovery Partners can help

If you can relate to any or all of the above, it’s a sign you need an ergonomic assessment.

Our ergonomic assessments ensure an appropriate interaction between employees and their workspace.

This involves assessing seating arrangements as well as daily behaviours such as how often they stand, the equipment they use (computers, accessories, keyboards and machinery), and their posture throughout the workplace.

Our team of highly skilled consultants can undertake detailed ergonomic assessments to ensure your environment is a safe and healthy workplace.

Ergonomic Assessments can be conducted remotely or on-site.  

Ask us about our virtual assessments and how our team can support you whilst sitting at your desk.

Digital advancements in our working practices have created a fantastic opportunity for our team to be more immediately available via audio-visual technologies. This availability supports you and your team taking positive steps toward best practice working arrangements sooner rather than later. 

Learn more about workstation erogonmics or contact us today for an ergonomic assessment – we offer up to 50% discount for group bookings. 

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Disclaimer – these articles are provided to supply general safety information to people responsible for OHS in their organisation. They are general in nature and do not substitute for legal and/or professional advice. We always suggest that organisations obtain information specific to their needs. Additional information can be found at https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/