Environment Reintegration
Ergonomic Assessment
Ergonomics is the study of how efficiently a person can function in his/her work environment. Efficiency depends on the worker's abilities and workspace characteristics. An ergonomic assessment identifies risk factors that impact a worker's productivity and increase risk of injury, such as environmental factors, repetitive tasks in the same posture for long periods of time, and posture with job-specific tasks. A PT or PTA can take this information and make adjustments to the workspace as needed. This also helps guide choice of physical therapy interventions. In general, educating people on the relationship between their working environment and productivity is key to preventing future issues. PTAs can also give patients exercises to correct existing problems.
Posture
A common problem that people develop from sitting at a desk for long periods of time is forward head posture. The result is muscle imbalance, in which the chest muscles compensate by shortening and the back muscles become overstretched. This can cause a host of other problems, such as nerve compression and decreased circulation in the upper extremities. In addition, this may also cause low back pain, as body weight is more concentrated to the spinal column. Interventions may include stretching and strengthening exercises for the back and chest and education on the importance of rest breaks.
Resources
Attached below are a few examples of common assessment tools used as well as a video on tips for proper workstation setup.