It is Time For Employers to Accept Responsibility For Bad Posture at Work?

<p>Bryan Phillips is a successful mortgage broker working for a local bank in Dallas, Texas. Over the years, through excessive use of the computer and not paying any attention to his worsening posture, he has developed severe forward head posture. "The effects of bad posture are so insidious. Before I knew it, I was developing a hump", says Bryan.</p><p>Bryan is not alone. It is estimated that approximately 90% of people in the USA have some degree of forward head posture. A leading posture expert, Dr. Joe Ventura of Overland Park, KS, says that "With forward head posture, for every inch your head moves forward, the head gains ten pounds in weight. The muscles in your upper back and neck have to work harder to keep your chin from dropping forwards onto your chest. This places an enormous strain on your body. Vital lung capacity is reduced as much as thirty percent. Your gastrointestinal system is affected, particularly the large intestine."</p><p>So many of us are office bound and, so it would seem, permanently attached to our computers. This, combined with poor office ergonomics, is sometimes at the root of forward head posture. Occupational musculoskeletal injuries represent a pandemic problem in the United States and this has had an enormous effect on the quality of millions of peoples' lives every year.</p><p>Non-accidental injuries in the workplace - much of it posture related - costs the United States tens of billions of dollars each and every year. Poor body mechanics (such as slouching in an office chair), prolonged activity, repetitive motions, and fatigue are major contributors to these injuries. In 2006 in the United States, 357,160 cases of work-related musculoskeletal disorders resulted in lost workdays according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the same period, the yearly cost associated with common pain conditions and lost productivity was estimated at $61.2 billion.</p><p>Poor back posture at work is a major cause of back pain, workplace stress and repetitive strain injury. It results in lost time, reduced employee productivity, poor employee health, low morale, and ultimately higher costs.</p><p>The United Kingdom is so concerned about health and safety in the workplace, specifically pertaining to display screen equipment such as computer monitors, that they introduced the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 2002. In terms of these regulations, all employers have a duty to provide safe working conditions and a stress-free work environment for all staff, which includes the provision of information and training for employees about workplace posture and ergonomics.</p><p>Dr. Shawn Stipich, a chiropractor based in Dallas, Texas, notes that, "In many businesses their employees are their major assets. They spend a fortune in time and effort training their staff. It makes sound business sense to ensure that these assets are comfortable and able to perform at optimum efficiency. Then why is it that so many US corporations do not pay any attention to posture and ergonomics in the workplace when it is costing them billions of dollars every year?" Why, indeed?</p><p>Employers can only gain from investing in improving posture in the workplace. They will experience greater efficiency through improved employee morale, higher productivity, and less absenteeism, not to mention a reduction of risk pertaining to potential litigation from injured or stressed employees.</p><p>It does not have to cost a great deal of money to improve workplace posture and ergonomics. Employee education costs very little. Many chiropractors would be happy to talk on the subject for nothing. A few posture cushions could be kept in the office for employees to use during their break periods. They will relieve stress, improve blood circulation and revitalize employees.</p><p>"There is evidence to suggest that a corporation that actively promotes and facilitates a healthy workplace and proactively manages adverse health effects, experiences both a reduction in absenteeism and ill health and an increase in productivity," says Dr. Stipich.</p><p>Is it not time for American corporations to become more proactive in improving bad posture in the workplace? With the current state of the US economy, maybe this is the place to start our economic recovery.</p><p>Bernard Brown is the CEO of Posture Pal, the world's #1 posture support that is endorsed by some of the world's leading posture experts. Visit their web site now <a target="_new" href="http://www.PosturePal.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.PosturePal.com</a> to learn <a target="_new" href="http://www.posturepal.com/html/Guidelines_to_Improve_Posture.html" rel="nofollow">how to improve posture</a>.</p>