Occupational illness in Great Britain, affect 1.0 million people a year, the most common are Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and Upper limb disorders (ULDs) along with trips and falls. Problems include low back pain, joint injuries and repetitive strain injuries of various sorts.
Avoiding Back Pain At Work
Back pain can arise in many work situations. The exact cause is often unclear, but back pain is more common in tasks that involve:
Heavy manual labour and handling tasks
Manual handling in awkward places, like delivery work
Repetitive tasks
Sitting in front of a computer for a long period of time especially if your workstation is not correctly arranged or adjusted to suit your needs
Driving long distances or driving over rough ground, particularly if your seat is not, or cannot be, properly adjusted
Some of the activities that can harm your back include:
Repetitive or heavy lifting
Excessive bending and twisting
Exerting too much force
Poor working conditions
High job demands and lack of control
Not recognising or reporting symptoms and not doing anything about it
The do’s and don’ts of managing back pain and continuing work!
DO’S:
Do stay active as usual, if possible. But see your doctor/therapist if the pain persists or suddenly gets worse
Do take simple pain relief
Do speak to your manager or your safety representative and, if necessary, discuss what can be done to help you stay at work
Do find out about back pain
Do stay active and try to exercise
DON’TS:
Don’t take to your bed and wait for the pain to go away. The sooner you get back to normal activity the better
Don’t worry. Staying active is unlikely to damage your back
Don’t avoid activity simply as a way of avoiding the pain – hurt does not always mean harm
There are times when you shouldn’t remain active. Don’t exercise if you are suffering from:
Single-joint problems of the lower extremity
Inflammatory arthritis, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis
Obvious or diagnosed osteoarthritis
Post-fracture or post-dislocation cases
Post-surgical cases
Headache or vertigo as primary complaint
Musculoskeletal disorders awaiting surgery
Musculoskeletal disorders resulting from serious trauma
Serious co-existing morbidity
