Four common desk-based employee MSK issues and how to fix them

According to a recent Labour Force Survey, nearly 470,000 UK workers suffered from new or long-standing work-related musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders in 2020/21, with the neck, arm, shoulder and back accounting for most issues. According to HSE, 8.9 million days were lost in 2019/20 due to MSK issues.

One of the most common causes of MSK problems in office-based workplaces is the desk set-up. Despite the fact that HR managers employ ergonomic risk assessments to ensure the computer, chair and desk set-up are at optimal levels to avoid strain or injury, for remote workers, this is more difficult to assess.

Making your staff aware of the potential problems is the first step in helping deal with this issue and reduce absenteeism, alongside preventing them from happening in the first place.

In addition to ensuring that each employee’s remote set-up is following best practice, introducing them to DocHQ Physio provides another way to keep them fit and healthy, and their muscles strong and toned. This aids in preventing MSK conditions from developing, and the associated time off work that comes with a debilitating neck or back condition.

DocHQ Physio combines virtual physiotherapy with cutting-edge AI technology to create bespoke exercise programmes to fit each individual’s requirements. Whether it’s a midday energiser or a post-work destress, the exercise programmes help your people stay on top of their fitness needs, keeping them moving, which in turn maintains a healthier workforce less prone to mental health issues.

DocHQ can become your new wellbeing partner and help with the following desk-based MSK conditions:

1. Neck issues from hunching over a laptop

Peering at a low-placed laptop or smartphone for long periods of time can result in severe MSK issues involving the neck and spine.

Bending your head at a 45-degree angle places an extra 50lb of pressure on the neck, which can eventually result in kyphosis – where the spine curves excessively, the top of the back rounds and the neck bends forward, resulting in pain and stiffness.

Remote working can exacerbate these problems, as sometimes staff work on makeshift desks or tables not built for long periods of sitting, including children’s desks or camping tables, or even work on the floor, bed or sofa.

To rectify this, the laptop screen should be elevated so it is positioned at eye-level, meaning there is no craning of the neck or bending to see it.

2. RSI from using the mouse

Repetitive-strain injuries (RSI) occur when a certain movement is repeated over and over until it produces damage to the muscles or nerves. It can include conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, bursitis and tendinitis, and is often seen in the employee’s arm that uses the mouse.

With RSI injuries, prevention is key, as once the injury has occurred, it’s difficult to recover from. Taking regular screen breaks, ensuring the desk height is correct and assessing the mouse position, checking that the arm’s in a neutral position, are all key elements of avoiding RSI.

3. Incorrect chair

It’s important that staff have adequate lumbar support at home, the same as if they were in the office. This means using an ergonomic desk chair with full back support. Dining-room chairs or stools were found to result in increased levels of MSK issues. Feet should be flat on the floor, and hips should be positioned below the shoulders to help support the back and spine.

4. Sitting for too long

Human bodies are not designed to sit for long periods of time. Sedentary behaviour has been shown to lead to a wide range of problems, including MSK issues. Lack of movement and activity is now the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality and as 81% of UK workers spend between 4 and 9 hours a day seated (according to a report by Fellowes), this is a huge number of people who are experiencing long-term tension in the muscles, reduced joint mobility and potential issues with the back, spine and neck.

The way to solve this problem is to ensure regular movement is built into the day. Studies have found that those who move for only two minutes for every hour sitting reduced mortality rates by 33%.

DocHQ Fitness helps employees get moving by taking part in workouts remotely. Using the same AI technology as our Physio service, staff can access the programme at their leisure and convenience and get active at home by following a programme prescribed to them by a personal trainer in a 1-2-1 virtual meeting, before they set the exercises using our innovative body-tracking software. This tracks progress, updating the personal trainer so they can make adjustments to the programme if required, keeping them moving when otherwise they might have been sedentary.

To help prevent these injuries, DocHQ Physio will ensure your staff move regularly, and build strength and fitness thereby helping prevent injuries from their remote-work set-up.

To learn more about how DocHQ Physio can help your staff avoid injury, and to discuss bespoke corporate packages, email Amit Arora at amit.arora@dochq.co.uk