The evil of the century: Back Pain and Tips or musculoskeletal injuries

1 - Incidence

In 1996 the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working interviewed a representative sample of 1000 workers in the labor force in each Member State of the European Union

The survey shows that:

- Health problems related to work most frequently cited are:

- The back pain (30% of workers)

- Stress (28% of workers)

- Muscle pains in arms and legs (17% of workers)

- Work in low-designed favors that 45% of workers adopt awkward working postures.

- The work is becoming more intense and the pace is accelerating.

- 37% of workers have short, repetitive tasks.

- The computer has become an important place at work, 38% of workers it serves.

- Only 32% of employees say they have followed a training course offered by your company during the preceding twelve months

1.2-For what is produced

Barring more complex cases such as cancer and inflammatory and other diseases and traumatic injury causes direct acute, musculoskeletal injuries are due to progressive overload of various anatomical structures that react with pain to it.

Indicated in a very condensed various parameters, each individually may represent a risk factor which can provoke decompensation musculoskeletal injuries.

- Organization: If the work is not well organized (shifts, hours) may be the cause of increased physical and mental fatigue of the worker with greater tension in the same state.

- The person prior technical, individual characteristics such as excessive overweight, previous musculoskeletal disorders and outside activities (housework) and use of leisure time (sedentary, physical activity and / or sport disproportionate).

- The task or work: this is one of the most important aspects to consider labor as a risk factor, especially if forced to develop a strong force, dangerous positions and prolonged repetition of the gestures of the worker.

- The team: as a table, chairs, miscellaneous tools and utensils, must be adapted to the anthropometric characteristics of the worker. It must also provide adequate support for handling charges when necessary.

- The environment: both physical (heat, temperature, noise) and psychic (relationships with peers, superiors).

- Weather: The is needed to perform various work tasks.

3 - How is prevented

According to the above, the prevention of Back Pain and Tips will be aimed at the reduction to the extent possible risk factors analyzed. From a practical standpoint, we recommend the training through a school program aimed at SKELETAL MUSCLE-risk self-assessment with consequent formation for prevention.