Walking for half an hour after leaving the office is a necessity.
“The main ailments reported by office workers include disorders of the sight and muscular-skeletal system,” says Joanna Bugajska, MD, from the Central Institute of Occupational Protection, who is talking to us today about diseases associated with office work.
What are the most common ailments associated with office work in Poland? What is the situation in Poland in comparison with other EU countries?
First of all, we should define what we mean by the term “office work’. Nowadays, the majority of workstations in offices include a computer, and this determines the type of complaints reported by office workers. In answering your question, I assume that you mean epidemiological studies on populations of office workers? Such studies, as part of various projects, are probably being conducted, although there is no systematic monitoring. But the results of such studies presented during various conferences and congresses clearly show that the main complaints given by office workers include disorders of the sight and the muscular-skeletal system. According to the most recent information, almost one in three (27-44 %) office workers complain of pain in the hands and arms, but the majority of them suffer from pain in the shoulders and neck. We should remember that reported ailments are more frequent and irritating if the time working at a computer is longer. Other, less frequent disorders comprise: skin changes, diseases of the circulatory system (diseases of the venous system of lower limbs) and stress, especially resulting from the contact with customers. Moreover, with regard to the type of job, which may often require high qualifications and be associated with high expectations towards the worker, the syndrome of emotional and physical burning out is more frequent among some types of office workers. We have to pay attention to the fact that office work is a type of work characterized by low physical activity. If the worker does not regularly practice any sports or other activities, they will suffer decreased physical and general ability to do any physical effort. A low physical activity is also considered one of risk factors for cardio-vascular diseases.
It is a big problem for European countries as well as other developed countries in the world. We should pay attention to the results of the prediction made by the European Agency of Occupational Safety and Health in Bilbao. According to it, the occurrence of overloading syndromes caused by repeated work, including while using a computer, and the lack of physical activity of people who work in a sitting position (including office work) were identified as the most essential problems concerning safety and health protection of people working in Europe (Risk Observatory, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2005).
What is the most common reason for diseases associated with office work? Improper and incorrectly situated furniture and computer equipment or perhaps faulty lighting and air-conditioning?
It is hard to answer this question because a suitable workstation includes ergonomic furniture and equipment, and proper lighting, microclimate and psycho-social conditions of work. In this type of job a very important element is the “climate of work”, which includes relationships between workers. The results of studies concerning the effect of office work on workers’ health contributed to the preparation of guidelines and norms that regulate the conditions of work with a computer; on the Polish market there are detailed descriptions and suitable regulations regarding this subject.
What preventive measures should be taken against these ailments (only proper workstation or any physical exercises)?
The prevention of ailments reported by office workers includes the ergonomic conditions of work and preventive medical care for this group of workers, which will help to signal early any health problems. According to the regulations issued by the Minister of Work, every working person must undergo a periodical medical examination. In the case of office workers operating a computer, these examinations include an ophthalmological examination and extended examination of the muscular-skeletal system, if the medical history suggests such a necessity. The examinations for this group of workers are performed every 4 years, or more often, depending on the doctor’s decision. Physical exercises allow people to relax the muscles that are involved in operating a computer and to activate other groups of muscles, which are necessary for work that confines workers to their workstation and prevents them from changing the position of the body.
How should people rest when they work in an office for 8 hours a day, sitting in front of a computer for most of the time?
Such people should choose active forms of relaxation, and spend a lot of time outside in the open air. Excessive duties (both at work and with the family) mean that it is very difficult to organize regular daily exercise. However, it is necessary, and office workers should not put it off. It is in their interest to walk a lot, and not only with the family at weekends. The habit of walking about 30 minutes a day should be made a daily ritual.
Joanna Bugajska, MD- a specialist in occupational medicine, graduated from the Medical University in Warsaw, faculty of medicine, and works in the Central Institute of Occupational Protection - National Research Institute as an academic teacher and lecturer, and as the head of the Laboratory of Physiology and Safety of Work at the Department of Ergonomics. The main areas of her research include health protection at work (like the combined influence of work conditions on workers’ health, older workers’ ability to work, effect of occupational stress on human health, the syndromes of overloading the muscular-skeletal system). She is the author of 75 works published in reviewed journals and abstracts from different congresses.
