What are Musculoskeletal Disorders?

Back Ache There are two types of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD’s):

Acute – is caused by something that happens as a result of one event, such as someone dropping a book on their toe and breaking it.
Cumulative – injuries that build up over time due to repeated exposure to various risk factors, such as a poor workstation set up.

Common cumulative MSD’s include:

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Caused by repeated poor posture and subsequent compression of the Nerve Bundle between the neck and shoulder.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Caused by compression of the median nerve that runs through the Carpal Tunnel in the wrist. Could be caused by poor posture, repetition or contact stress.

Tendonitis
Inflammation of any tendon (connects muscle to bone). Primary concern is the upper extremities and wrist.

Tenosynovitis
Inflammation of the tendon and synovial sheath surrounding a joint. Symptoms include pain and stiffness in the joints, most commonly seen in the wrists and hand.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Compression of the ulnar nerve that runs through the forearm causing numbness and tingling in the ring and small fingers of the hand.

Medial and Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
Extensor muscle strain at the inside (medial) or outer (lateral) edge of the elbow. Caused by repetition of wrist extension.

Trigger Finger
Caused by forceful mouse clicks in an office setting. Palm is tender at the base of the finger. Also, fingers may snap at the joints or lock in place.

Rotator cuff Tendonitis
Inflammation of the Rotator Cuff Tendons in the Shoulder and the Bursa that surrounds the tendons (Also called "Bursitis").

Compressed Disc
The disc becomes smaller due to excessive static load on the spine. Can be caused by awkward postures or sitting for prolonged periods.

Spinal Disc Herniation
The disc is compressed on one side, causing the disc to "bulge", potentially affecting the surrounding nerves. Can affect any part of the spine and is caused by bending at the waist and using excessive force.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Caused by poor circulation and/or compression of the sciatic nerve.

The Risks

Using a workstation which has not been assessed and customised for your needs means you could be working with poor posture. Along with sitting for long periods of time without a break, this can lead to many musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, upper body pain and repetitive strain injuries.

The facts

The following statistics released in September 2005 demonstrate the growing worry regarding RSI:*

448,000 British workers now suffer from RSI - a jump of 52,000 since 2001/02 - with rates in the North East soaring ahead of other regions.
In 2003/2004, health and social workers replaced builders as the workforce most affected by RSI.
4.7 million working days in Great Britain (full-time equivalent) were lost due to RSI in 2003/04.
Of those afflicted, each person took an average of 18.3 days off in that time.
It has been estimated that the cost to UK industry from RSI is likely to be up to £20 billion annually.
Every day, six people in the UK leave their jobs due to an RSI condition.
1 in 50 of all workers in the UK have reported an RSI condition.
80% of people will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.

* All figures relating to number of days lost through RSI caused or made worse by work, and the cost to UK industry are sourced from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) www.hse.gov.uk, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) www.tuc.org.uk and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).

Who is at risk?

Though Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are not only experienced by people working with computers, this group certainly exhibits the greatest prevalence due to the massive rise in computer use over the past 20 years.

Workstation Injuries affect many groups of working people in a wide variety of occupations, including:

Computer operators
Laboratory technicians
Musicians
Those in the construction industry and factory workers

The Causes

The major cause of musculoskeletal disorders, back pain and RSI's in office workers is clear - improper computer workstation use!

With more work now being computer based (and many of us having computers at home as well as at work) we are spending much longer sat at a computer. This, coupled with poor posture and repetitive movement, can cause strain to many parts of the body, including backs, necks, wrists.