Ergonomic Assessment

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is defined as the study of people’s efficiency in their work environment. It is an area of importance because ultimately the things that one does day in and day out at work will ultimately impact how someone feels longterm especially if the work set up is not ideal.

How do I know if my work setup is good or ergonomically sound?

Well, an easy way is to have a qualified professional exam the setup and discuss with you what your daily requirements are for work. If you are having pain during your work day that feels better when you are not working, there is a high probability that your work setup is not ergonomically sound.

Why should I have an ergonomic assessment performed?

Ultimately this comes down to activity modification. Imagine the simple scenario where you have a paper cut. Every day you go to work and give yourself a paper cut in the exact same spot. Besides the fact that paper cuts hurt and they are just annoying, this repetitive paper cut will never heal because of the repeated trauma to the skin day in and day out. Now obviously no one would continue to be ok with this situation. They would change the way that they were doing things so as to avoid getting the paper cut everyday. That is smart. What is hard for a lot of people is to take this simple scenario and apply it to a broader area like your back, neck , or shoulder. If everyday you go to work and are giving a “paper cut” to your neck or back this would not be a good situation long term and ultimately you would want to change it. You get the idea, its worth having a a professional look at your setup to make sure “paper cuts” become a thing of the past. The assessment will look at your set up and develop a plan for positional changes and recommended equipment to minimize the strain and stress of the workday.