This presentation addresses the key factors to improve workplace ergonomics and overall health and wellbeing. It is not enough to focus on ergonomics without addressing health and wellbeing. We must focus on the entire process in an integrated manner. I outline how to setup your work area for optimal posture and reduce injury, while looking at the mechanisms of health and wellbeing that support it.

1. Presented by Tony Fahkry
HEALTH PROGRAM INITIATIVEHEALTH PROGRAM INITIATIVE
Health Made Simple

2. The Five Dimensions of Optimal HealthThe Five Dimensions of Optimal Health
“You must get healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to get healthy”

3. The Five Dimensions of Optimal HealthThe Five Dimensions of Optimal Health
Fitness and exercise initiatives organised in a workplace setting are one single component
of optimal health. They are categorized as ‘physical health’, which is influenced by factors
such as smoking, alcohol & nutrition. There are four other components that a health
initiative may address (Harris & Fries 2002):
Emotional Health: is an individual’s mental state of being. It is influenced
by stress, the reaction to stress and the individual’s
ability to relax and devote time to leisure
Social Health: is the ability to ‘get along’ with others, such as family
members, friends and colleagues, giving and receiving love
or friendship and feeling goodwill toward others.
Spiritual Health: is the condition of an individual’s spirit, such as having a
feeling of purpose in life
Intellectual Health: is conditioned by an individual’s achievements such as those
experienced at work, school, hobbies and cultural pursuits
or serving the community.

5. Your thoughts have a profound effect on every aspect of your life. This includes your
health and wellbeing, interaction with others, your emotional state, your life
path, your ability to succeed.
Most people think about what they DON’T want the majority of the time, therefore
drawing the very thing they don’t want towards them.
 The average human processes approximately 60,000 thoughts a day
Thoughts are measured in a frequency called Hz
 Most of the thoughts we think are repeated on a day to day basis
 Anatomy of thoughts. Conscious vs Subconscious Mind
 “You are not your thoughts”
 “I” think therefore “I” am
Shakespeare: “There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so”
Einstein: “You can’t solve a problem with the same level of thinking that created it”
Thoughts

6. We can live days without eating and drinking but only few minutes
without breathing.
The act of breathing is involuntary, however the manner and conditions
for a healthy, optimally functioning respiratory system falls to making a
conscious choice.
We breathe over 20,000 times a day.
If our breathing pattern is less than optimal it can have a profound
effect on our health and wellbeing; ultimately leading to problems in our
digestive systems, detoxification systems, organ health, posture
and sympathetic nervous system which will lead to an increased
stress response with every breathe.
 An increase in 6 beats above normal resting heart rate indicates an
increase in sympathetic nervous system and stress levels
Breathing

7. Posture and its importance in the workplace
Modernisation. Are we de-evolving?
Back pain affects more than 90% of people in the workforce
Main reason for back pain - poor posture and repetitive
movements or positions.
When we have good posture:
Optimal Posture allows for the least mechanical stress and
strain on the body
Optimal posture allows for optimal performance
Posture

8. Or when posture is poor:
Pain/injury
Dysfunctional movement patterns
Poor training technique or poor use of functional exercise
Emotional/ mental stress sympathetic dominance
Poor breathing pattern
Organ dysfunction (digestion, reproductive, circulatory, adrenal)
Common Injuries associated to poor posture:
Shoulder pain and impingement
Neck pain (atlas axis subluxation)
Vertebral artery occlusion
Lower back pain- disc bulge, spondylolysis, spondylolythesis, Spinal stenosis,
SIJ pain/ hip pain MRI
Knee pain ITB syndrome
Ankle pain pronation pattern
Posture

9. Upper Cross Syndrome - Posture
Short and Tight
Pec Minor
Upper Trapezius
Levator Scapular
Scalenes
Latisimus Dorsi
Sternocleidomastoid
Long and Weak
Lower and middle Trapezius
Rhomboids
Serratus Anterior
Deep Neck Flexors
The upper crossed syndrome, as described by Janda.

10. Sway BackSway BackHyper LordosisHyper Lordosis Flat BackFlat Back
Psoas, Lumbar
Errectors
Lower Abs glutes,
hamstrings
Psoas, Lumbar
Errectors
Lower Abs glutes,
hamstrings
Hips FWD Plum
Line
Lower Cross Syndrome - Posture
The lower crossed syndrome, as described by Janda.

11. Upper CrossUpper Cross
Lower CrossLower Cross

12. MinimizeMinimize
Awkward PosturesAwkward Postures
Use “Neutral Posture” at the Computer & Other Equipment

13. Neutral posture:
 Back supported by the chair back
 Ears, Shoulders, Elbows, Hips vertically aligned
 Elbows, hips, knees bent at near-right angles (90o
– 105o
)
 Feet flat on the floor or footrest
The basic neutral position most office personnel should utilize a majority
of the time they spend seated at the computer or other equipment.
BASIC NEUTRALBASIC NEUTRAL

14. Forward tilt posture:
Raise the chair height a few inches and tilt the front
downward slightly (8o
- 10o
)
Back ReliefBack Relief
Opens hip angle allowing legs to support
some weight.
Good position for short periods of work.
Trains the legs to act as a support base;
Not recommended if you have knee or
foot problems.
May be used occasionally throughout the day by most people; but is not
recommended for long periods at a time.

15. Reclining posture:
Lean back 10o
- 20o
into the chair's backrest
and put your feet out in front of you.
Lower Body ReliefLower Body Relief
Opens hip and knee angles to help relax
back muscles and promotes blood
circulation. Leaning back too far can result
in an awkward neck posture.
May be used occasionally throughout the day by most people; but not recommended for
long periods at a time.

16. Standing posture:
Provides biggest change in posture
Good alternative to prolonged sitting
May be fatiguing, have chair available
Prop one foot up on a low footrest to help
occasionally shift your weight.
Standing NeutralStanding Neutral
May be used occasionally throughout the day by most people; but not recommended
for long periods at a time.

17. Minimize AwkwardMinimize Awkward
Hand & Wrist PosturesHand & Wrist Postures
Use Neutral Hand Position whenever possible
working with equipment .
Neutral
Neutral

18. Minimize AwkwardMinimize Awkward
Hand & Wrist PosturesHand & Wrist Postures
Neutral
Awkward
Neutral
Awkward
Awkward
Neutral
Awkward
Neutral

19.  Numbness
 Burning
 Pain/Aching
 Tingling
 Cramping
 Stiffness
Physical SymptomsPhysical Symptoms
 Tightness
 Decreased range of motion
 Deformity
 Decreased grip strength
 Loss of function
May Include:
If you experience these symptoms, you may want to request additional
ergonomic assistance.

20. Early Intervention is CriticalEarly Intervention is Critical
EE arlyarly
RR esponseesponse
GG ainsains
OO pportunitypportunity
 Reduce/Eliminate risks
 Prevent Pain
 Avoid or minimize need for
medical treatment
 Happier employees
 Higher productivity
 Financial Savings by avoiding
time away from work

21. A very important component of health. Water serves 2 basic functions, hydration and
cleansing but it is also necessary for many of the body chemical reactions. Therefore it is
crucial to keep yourself well hydrated with good quality clean water.
How much should we drink?
Body weight in kg’s x 0.333%
Why?
Digestion
Transportation of nutrients
Elimination of waste
Circulation of blood and lymph
Lubrication
Regulation of the body temperature
Best at room temp
Drink water 15- 30 mins before eating
TDS: Total Dissolvable Solids ~ 300
Hydration – Water is life

22. How does drinking water fight disease?

23. Some Compelling Facts
 53-80% of illness is a direct effect of the way we live and work
 Highly stressed people are likely to develop cardiovascular disease,
diminish cognitive, physical functionality
 Stress causes 61% of absences
 Clearly we are not living or working well…
 1 in 3 will contract cancer
 1 in 2 males over 40 years of age will suffer cardiovascular disease
 1 in 4 females will suffer depression
 Seven million adult Australians aged 25 years and over (60%) were
overweight. Source: Medical Journal of Australia 174:561-4

29. You are what you eat – literally! You turn over millions of cells everyday and
they need nutrients to relace them. Each individual is unique in regards to their
internal nutritional requirements as they are unique on the outside of their
bodies.
We turn over every cell in our body every year
Metabolic typing: http://www.natpro.net/metabolic-typing.html
Food quality:
Avoid processed and fast foods
Eat whole foods – high nutrient quality and quantity
Organic - free range animal foods, pesticide and fertiliser free organic
produce
Why? Considerably lower toxin input that your poor liver has to deal with on a
daily basis. Reduces stress on the body while delivering quality nutrients to
your cells which supply you with Energy, Mental Function, Health &
Wellbeing – What do we all want?
You have a choice, you are what you eat!
Nutrition

30. Nutrition

37. Regular movement is a critical component of health and wellbeing.
It provides mobility and motility to the internal organs therefore
helping with digestion, for example, movement keeps joints and
muscles healthy and aids in circulation and detoxification function.
The RIGHT amount and level of exercise is individual and many
aspects need to be considered, particularly a persons overall stress
load on their body. Many things produce a stress load on a person;
lack of nutrition, limbic emotional stress, toxins and exercise.
Exercise at an inappropriate level for the individual can add
more/less stress into their system.
Movement

38. Every living thing sleeps! It is vital for health and wellbeing and for optimal
health we need to get enough sleep regularly.
On average we used to sleep 8-9 hours a night (1900’s), nowadays we
average 6 hours a night.
Over a year we are losing 730 hours of rest and recovery which will
affect us physically and psychologically
When you sleep your body repairs, your tissues recover form day’s tasks
and download information.
10pm to 2am are key periods for physical repair and 2am to 6pm is your
key psychological repair time.
Sleep

39. Circadian Rhythm