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Are you or your employees burning the midnight oil or working long work days to finish off a work project or to meet a deadline?
If so, there is a good chance that you are increasing your risk of injury by increasing risk factors including forceful movements, repetitive motions, awkward postures, and lack of rest. Long work days can be stressful and therefore it is important to take rest breaks intermittently throughout the day. Rest periods give the body time to recover from work, and by performing simple stretching exercises, your muscles and tendons will more likely be able to handle the increased workload. Employees should think of themselves as ‘Industrial Athletes’. Professional athletes wouldn’t participate in a sport without proper rest and warm-up. Employees should use the same preparation on the job.
Maintaining overall health also reduces your risk of injury. Below are a few tips to remember:
- Get a good night’s sleep to rest your body and maintain alertness.
- Eat healthy foods and drink fluids to boost energy and stay hydrated.
- Perform aerobic exercises (ie. walking, running or biking) 3 times a week to increase cardiovascular strength and vitality.
- Perform stretching exercises, yoga, or pilates to improve flexibility and build core body strength.
Pay attention to signs of discomfort and fatigue on the job. These are warning signs from your body, and can help prevent injury. As muscles tire during a work task, slouching can lead to poor posture, sloppy, uncontrolled movements, and injuries.
Rest breaks mean recovery for the body. During a job task, take micro-breaks, lasting 10-15 seconds every ten minutes. Take mini-breaks lasting 3-5 minutes every thirty to sixty minutes. These short breaks give the body a rest, reduce discomfort, and improve your performance.
Alternate your work activities and postures throughout the day. Rotating tasks may seem inefficient, but the rest and use of different muscle groups increases energy and maintains productivity.
For example, if your job requires computer work, paperwork and phone time, try and plan your day to make calls on the hour and perform paperwork tasks intermittently to break up your time on the computer.
Stretches help you warm-up before work and relax during breaks; they increase flexibility and boost blood flow and oxygen to muscles. Perform stretches slowly and gently; avoid extreme postures and stop stretching if you feel pain or discomfort.
Here are a couple examples of simple stretching exercises that can be performing in any work environment:
Back / Side Stretch:
Interlace your fingers and lift your arms over your head, keeping the elbows straight. Press arms as far back as you can. To stretch your sides, slowly lean to the left and then to the right. Hold each stretch for 10 seconds
Middle / Upper Back Stretch:
Hold your right arm with your left hand just above the elbow. Gently push your elbow toward your left shoulder. Hold stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat with your left arm.
Overall fitness and flexibility, adequate sleep, task rotation, and rest breaks can help limit your overall risk of injury.
Article: Written by Paul Cutting of InjuryFree
2 Comments
Great article Paul! Sometimes I tend to froget how important breaks are – it’s easy to take your body for granted when you get “going” with your work.
Thanks for the comment Heather. It is difficult remembering to take breaks! I have started setting an “appointment” on my calendar so that at least every day I get one break! It’s a start