Stranan Osteopathy

 
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Sarah's Blog

Osteopathy in the workplace

Tuesday, 14 April 2009 19:56

Our work day makes up a significant part of our lives, yet how much time do you put in to making that time comfortable? If we had 8 hours a day to sit at home on the couch, how long would it take until you went out and bought the most comfortable couch you could find??  My guess is not long.  But how many of us actually put any thought into our work environment?  there maybe some photos or decorative items around the place to let you pretend you are not at work.  But do you have a comfortable chair?  Is your desk the right height?  Are you using your mouse correctly?  Are you feet supported?  Is your keyboard the right height?  Or do you leave work with back pain, headaches, neck pain, elbow or wrist pain?

Having an ergonomic work place may be the change you need to make sure you don't leave the office in pain! 

Ergonomics is defined as the science related to man and his work, embodying the anatomic, physiologic, and mechanical principles affecting the efficient use of human energy. 

So not only will you have less pain you will have more energy too as your body uses less just trying to do those day to day office activities. 

It is often helpful to have someone come and assess you in your work place so they can see what your habits are as well as the static environment.  However I have found by talking to my patients at the Vancouver Osteopathy Centre that in BC having en ergonomic assessment is not always that easy.  So here are a few tips to help you assess your own work space.   

 

  • Head, neck and shoulders are upright and not leaning forwards.
  • Monitor is directly centred in front of eyes and 50-75cm from head. 
  • Shoulders and arms are inline with your body and elbows close to your sides. 
  • Hands and wrist are in a straight line with forearms, with a 90deg bend at the elbow.
  • Chair gives good low back support and thighs are parallel with floor with knees bent to 90deg.
  • Feet flat on floor or supported with a foot stool.
  • Room for thighs to fit under desk with comfortable clearance. 

 

 Remember this is just a general guideline, if you are experiencing pain at work you need to so see a professional to assess you and potentially your work place.

If you have any questions about any of the blog entries please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

 

 

 

 

How to best manage snowboard/ski injuries

Tuesday, 10 February 2009 23:08

 

I'm sure those of you who have spent some time on the slopes, for the first time ever or first for a while, know the feeling you get the day after.  When every muscle you didn't even know you had aches and makes normal activities very awkward.  This is called DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, a very aptly named condition where you get muscle soreness while the muscle repairs itself from whatever damage you did to it the day before.  This doesn't occur as you get conditioned to the activity, that is why you are usually only sore the first few time up the mountain for the season.

The best way to deal with DOMS is to do the activity again.. have a bath, massage or use some arnica cream.  Even if you do nothing you will feel better in a few days.  If you don't, then you know it is something more serious and you should have it looked at.

Sometimes falls don't seem to be a huge deal at the time but then the next day you feel it more than you thought.  This occurs as inflammation has had time to build up around the injury and it is these inflammatory chemicals that stimulate your pain receptors and let you know that you're injured.  These type of injuries won't fully go away by themselves, even if the pain does, you ned to manage them with rest, ice and appropriate treatment.

Other falls you may know at the time are a big deal, especially if you hit your head or tailbone.  Falling on either end of your spine can cause whiplash forces similar to those you get in a car accident, especially if you fall at high speeds or on hard ice.  You can get strain/sprain to your neck or even a concussion.  These types of injures need treatment so that you don't have headaches or long term neck or back pain.  And of course, the better you feel the sooner you can get up the slopes again.


 

 

Stretching your Behind can go a long way to putting low back pain behind you!

Thursday, 15 January 2009 23:51
In my examination of patients with low back pain I have found that all of them will have a problem, either big or small, with their gluteal muscles, otherwise known as your butt. Although it can be, it is not usually the cause of the problem but a contributing factor. However addressing this area can go a long way to improving the symptoms of low back pain.  And, this is easily done at home, at the gym or even at the workplace without anyone raising their eyebrows.
 
The Easiest Gluteal Stretch in the World.
1. Sit on the edge of your chair with your legs bent at 90°
2. Lift 1 leg up and rest your ankle on the opposite knee
3. Keep your back straight and bring your whole torso forward over your crossed leg
4. Bend toward your knee or ankle depending on where you best feel the stretch
5. Hold for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the muscle releases, do the other side.