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Health Fitness and Wellbeing Seminar Results

   

 

34. WINS_May_2015

 

John Miller conducted the Global Back Care Musculo-skeletal Health Seminar for The Group in May 2015.

 

31 participants (24 men and 7 women) completed the following profiles

 

Health, Fitness and Wellbeing

 

-  Musculo-skeletal Risk

 

-  Diet

 

-  Stress

 

-  Career Satisfaction

 

The results are presented in graphic format, with commentary.

 

Health, Fitness and Wellbeing Profile

The Health, Fitness and Wellbeing profile provides people with a very good idea of how well the various systems of the body are functioning, particularly the

 

•      the mind

•      autonomic nervous system

•      immune system

•      digestive system

•      circulatory system

•      elimination system

•      musculo-skeletal system.

 

On this profile a good score is a low score.

 

 

 

Symptom

None

Not much

A fair bit

A lot

 
 

1.

Headaches including migraines

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

2.

Lack of energy and vitality

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

3.

Candida - jock itch, thrush, tinea ...

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

4.

Poor sleep. If on tablets score 10

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

5.

Snoring &/or sleep apnoea. Score 10 if using a mask

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

6.

Crook back, stiff neck, sore shoulders, dicky knee RSI ...

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

7.

Frequent colds, flu, sinus

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

8.

Unsettled stomach, reflux (Score 10 if on medication)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

9.

Overweight - 1 point for every 2Kg

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

10.

Irritable bowel, constipation

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

11.

Asthma

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

12.

Low level of aerobic fitness

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

13.

Chest pain, palpitations

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

14.

Rashes, itchiness, skin outbreaks, psoriasis ...

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

15.

Mouth ulcers, cold sores

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

16.

Elevated blood pressure. Score 0 on pills

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

17.

Elevated blood cholesterol. Score o if on pills

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

18.

Elevated blood glucose. Score 0 if on medication

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

19.

Shakes, nervous ticks, mannerisms

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

20.

Grinding teeth

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

21.

Alcoholic drinks per day (2 pts/drink)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

22.

Smoking. (1 pt/cigarette/day)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

23.

Caffeine (1 pt/cup per day)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

24.

Anxious about life, insecure, apprehensive

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

25.

Sad or depressed (On medication, score 0)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

26.

In wrong job for now

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

27.

Under-appreciated at work

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

28.

Have poor work/life balance

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

29.

Unhappy with family life

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 
 

30.

Unhappy with financial status

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 

  Score

   
 

The score of a normal, fit and healthy human being is less than 20. Higher scores are symptomatic of dysfunction of one or more body systems. People with low levels of fitness and high levels of stress usually score well over 100.

 

For people with a score of more than 80, the ‘background noise’ of their life is becoming louder and louder. It is hard to concentrate on your work when body systems are dysfunctional. We know a fit and healthy group when we see the majority of scores below 40. This was not the case with this group.

 

By and large higher scores are usually a reflection of

 

• low levels of fitness

 

• an inability to deal with what life and work are serving up to people.

 

Remember, it is not what happens, but how we deal with what happens that determines our level of stress. 

 

2

 

Classification of average scores: Excellent - less than 40. Good - 41 - 50. Reasonable 51-60. Poor - over 60.

 

This profile is described as fair, compared with other groupd. The average score was 62. Anyone scoring more than 80 is putting up with a lot of 'background noise'.

 

Health Climate Survey

Based on scores received in the Health, Fitness and Wellbeing profile we've compiled a Health Climate Survey. Scores on each item have ranked - the higher the score the worse the problem. We added the scores for each item. The results appear in the table below.

 

  Symptoms/ issues / concerns % of people scoring over 5 No. of people scoring 10  

Musculo-skeletal dysfunction

40    

Stressed financial status

40    

Low level of fitness

37    

Lack of Energy

30    

High alcohol intake

30 3  

Overweight

27    

Elevated blood pressure

27 4  

Elevated cholesterol

27 2  

Under appreciated at work

27    

Snoring, sleep apnoea

23    

Poor sleep

20    

Caffeine

20    

Anxious

20    

Wrong job

20    

Chest pain, palpitations

17    

Smoking

17    

Work-life balance

17    

Headaches

13    

Reflux, unsettled stomach

13    

Irritable bowel, constipation etc

13    

Depressed

13 1  

Unhappy family life

13    

Frequent colds, flu, sinus

10    

Itchy, rashes, psoriasis

10    

Grinding teeth

10    

Shortness of breath from asthma

7    

Elevated glucose

7 2  

Shakes, nervous mannerisms

7    

Candida

3    

Mouth ulcers

3    

 

 

It's normal that the scores for wrong job and under-appreciated at work are about the same. This was not the case in this survey. Many more people (27%) said they were under-appreciated. compared with 20% who said they were in the wrong job.

 

Musculo-skeletal Risk factor Profile

 

Our musculo-skeletal risk factor profile looked at a range of parameters including mobility, strength and flexibility and whether people are training to keep themselves strong and flexible. The musculo-skeletal risk factor profile is comprised of a mix of 9 objective and 3 subjective assessments.

• Current musculo-skeletal condition

• Closeness to ideal weight

• leg strength

• Abdominal strength test

• Upper body strength test

• Flexibility

• Ability to sit up straight with legs crossed

• Shoulder function

• Strength training behaviour

• Flexibility training behaviour.

 

A score of 70% is attainable by those who have a regular and systematic training program. Those scoring less than 70 are not doing sufficient in the way of strength and flexibility exercises. They are therefore exposing themselves to a high risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction. (It would be bizarre for a workplace to offer to pay the rehabilitation costs of people who were not keeping themselves strong enough or flexible enough to do their job without succumbing to musculo-skeletal dysfunction, wouldn't it?)

   

 

 

 

Not a particularly good result. Circa 50% of people are experiencing pain and discomfort. In a corporate setting we'd recommend that it should be mandatory for those scoring less the 6 need to attend a daily prehab/rehab program, for their own benefit and that of the organisation.

  10% of people were 20Kg or more overweight.
 

 
 

Leg strength was, generally speaking good. Only 3 people performed poorly.

  Overall, patchy. Only 1 person couldn't do one situp.
 

 
  Patchy, 50% of people failed the arm and upper body strength test. The best predictor of risk of lower back pain is the ability to do pressups.   Circa 15% of people couldn't touch their toes. Lower back pain goes with poor hamstring flexibility.
 

 

  Circa 15% of people couldn't sit up straight with legs crossed and hands clasped behind their back, without falling over. A major cause of lower back pain is tight buttock muscles.   Shoulder function was patchy m- but redeemable in 80 days.
 

 

Its always the case, few people have a regular strength and flexibility program. The group needs to put in train a regular and systematic training program, on site, that includes

 

1.  specialist prehab and rehab sessions for those at serious risk and those already dysfunctional and on compo

 

2.  daily strength and flexibility sessions in the workplace for everyone.

   

Average score: 62. Not particularly good, but not particularly bad. This graph show why people are experiencing pain. Too many people are not doing the things they need to do to keep their musculo-skeletal system in good shape. There is a strong case of the group to implement an obligatory strength and flexibility program for those who scored less than 60 in this profile.

 

Fit for Work

 


S
cores in the Musculo-skeletal Health Risk Assessment have been used for the Fit for Work Award.

 

Level

 

Award

 

Pressups

Situps

Squats

Awards for 40 people

6 Gold 30 30 30 7
5 Silver 25 25 25 1
4 Bronze 20 20 20 3
3 Green 15 15 15 3
2 Amber 10 10 10 6
1 Red <10 <10 <10 7

Pressups, situps and squats in 60 seconds

 

A fair standard for people to aim at would be the Bronze Award - 20 situps, 20 pressups and 20 squats. You wouldn't judge anyone who failed to reach the bronze level as being fit for work.

 

Diet profile

The diet profile is designed to assist participants to check out whether they are eating wisely and also one which has appropriate amounts of carbohydrate, protein and fat. It also looks at various eating habits, eg eating too much, eating for comfort ...

 

•      Closeness to ideal weight?

•      Do you eat a decent breakfast?

•      Do you eat a high fat diet?

•      Do you eat a high starch diet?

•      Do you eat from the top of the Diet Hourglass?

•      How much water do you during each day?

•      Do you supplement your diet with essential micro-nutrients – vitamins,

        minerals, essential fats (omega 3) and glyco-proteins - and

        nutraceuticals - ginko, aloe vera, Echinacea ...?

•      Do you eat too much?

•      Are you ruled by your addictions to fat, sugar and starch?

•      Does the back end of your system work like a charm?

 

We use the Hourglass Diet as out eating model.

 

The 'pass mark' for each parameter is 7/10.

 

Low scores are usually symptomatic of high fat, high starch, low fibre diets. The results: - people become over fat and constipated.

 

A good score is a high score. A poor score is a low score.

 

 

 
 

20% of people were 20Kg or more overweight - a different score that in the musculo-skeletal health profile - but probably more accurate.

 

A high proportion of people did not have a decent breakfast. This is a cause for concern.

   
 

If you're over weight you've either got a fat guts ...

 

or a starch guts, or a sugar guts or a beer guts.

   
 

The nature of our culture is that it's too easy to eat junk food.

 

A few people are not drinking enough water. We're too affluent - we can afford to drink coffee, fruit juice, flavoured milk and carbonated drinks to slake our thirst; every thing but water. 'Water, water every where ...' but no-one wants to drink it!

   
 

Unless you eat the perfect diet, there is a good case for supplementing one's diet. Our food lacks vitamins minerals and essential fats.

 

'Not only do I fail to eat from the top of the Hourglass, I also eat too much.' Some do , some don't.

   
 

Again, two distinct groups. There's an epidemic of food addiction, particularly to chocolate, cola drinks, cake, biscuits, ice-cream ...

 

Back end function depends on eating less fat, flour and sugar and more fruit, vegetables and fibre. Psyllium husk works a treat.

Patchy. Total score 65. An average sort of a score. It's too easy to eat a high energy dense diet of manufactured food - particularly foods containing large amounts of fat, flour and sugar - food that comes in packets, tins, cans, bottles, cardboard boxes and plastic bags. This is a group that needs to design strategies to get more fruit, vegetables and water down their throat.

 

Australia is in a grip of an obesity and body system dysfunction epidemic generated by too much of the wrong food on the one hand, and too little of the right food on the other. It is my opinion that diets high in refined, cereal-based carbohydrates and sugar (the garbohydrates) are the suspects. Too few people seem to be aware that their level of body fat is affected by the amount of flour and sugar they take in each day. The high starch diet has replaced the high fat diet, with the same consequences. The garbohydrate diet stimulates insulin production which leads to fat gain, and all manner of metabolic dysfunctions.

 

Many people are unaware that they may be allergic or intolerant of some foods, particularly wheat flour, milk, deadly nightshades, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, preservatives ...

 

Most people have a flour and sugar breakfast, attributed to the kelloggification of the Australian diet. You don't eat biscuits for lunch and dinner so why are you eating them for breakfast? The breakfast eating behaviour of Australians is dreadful. Few people have fruit. Even fewer have vegetables, or adequate protein and fat.

 

Few people take vitamin and mineral supplements. I believe there are good reasons to do so.

 

By their own recognition a small number of people said they over-ate and were ruled by their addictions to junk food.

 

The operation of the back end of the system was only fair – low scores being reflective of a diet that lacks sufficient fibre.

 

Stress Risk Profile

Participants completed a simple stress and relaxation profile designed to assist them in making an assessment of how they were affected by stress. It is based on the habits of unstressed people.

 

If you do what unstressed people do you are less at risk of becoming stressed. I’m yet to see someone who said they were highly stressed or depressed who got a high score on this profile. A good score is over 70.

 

•      How would you rate your current stress level

•      Do you get a good night’s sleep?

•      Do you take your holidays?

•      Are you keeping yourself fit and healthy?

•      Is there balance in your life?

•      Do you take time off at lunch time?

•      How many hours a week do you work?

•      Are you good at giving back to your Self?

•      Do you meditate?

•      Are you happy with your family (and romantic) life?

  

The matter of stress always needs to be addressed by organisations as part of a personal development thrust, and aimed at all staff. If stress management type programs are to be conducted, all staff need to be involved, otherwise those at most risk and those who are currently most stressed (and too wrapped up in their own busyness) will not attend.

 

For those who spend long hours at work, I often wonder whether the behaviour is externally or internally driven. I suspect the latter. No body on their death bed ever said 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.'

 

A few people are struggling with their family life. This is another fertile  area for personal development and counselling programs. It's hard to concentrate at work when your home life is in turmoil

 

SCORING GUIDELINES

Excellent, scoring 8 or more

Good, scoring 7 or more

Fair, scoring 5 or 6           

Poor, scoring less than 5

‘Pass mark’ on all parameters 7/10. 

 

A good score is a high score. A poor score is a low score.

  

   
 

This is not a particularly good result.

  This is a patchy result. 30% of the group don't sleep as well as they would like. The first casualty of anxiety and low levels of fitness is sleep. Find out the cause of the problem. Exercise more, drink less.
   
 

A poor result. Paul Pearsal in his book Superimmunity' said you need a 21 day away from home holiday every year.

 

Not a good result. Too many people are not keeping themselves in the shape they'd like to be in - and which they need to be in.

   
 

This is a patchy result.

 

Generally speaking a fair result.

   
 

Patchy.  No one on their death bed ever said 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.' The people working the longest hours are women with young children who have a shift before work, a shift at work, a shift after work and the graveyard shift as well.

 

Too many people are too busy to look after and nurture their Self.

   
 

Very few people meditate. The reasons to do so are compelling.

 

Family life satisfaction is good for most people, but not for some.

Average score: 60. This is an average sort of a score.  People could do more to look after their Self. I recommend that people scoring less that 50 spend time with a counsellor or life coach, or go to a personal development weekend to get themselves centred and grounded on looking after their Self - start doing the things unstressed people do to avoid becoming stressed.

 

Career Satisfaction Profile

The parameters in the profile relate to a mix of factors influences by the participant, management and their colleagues.

 

• How close are you to doing the job you’d really like to be doing?

• Are you in the right job for now?

• Is work giving you life or sucking life out of you?

• Are you focused on your career options?

• Do you get good feedback from your manager?

• Do you receive an appropriate financial reward?

• Do you feel you and your work are valued and appreciated?

• Do you work for an organisation that cares about people?

• Do you enjoy the company of the people you work with?

• What’s the level of morale like in your work group?

 

Normally, when results on the overall career profile are less than 70/100, people agree that they’re not in the right job. Certainly those scoring less than 60 have sufficient issues relating to career management as to seriously consider going somewhere else.

 

SCORING GUIDELINES

Excellent, scoring 8 or more

Good, scoring 7 or more

Fair, scoring 5 or 6           

Poor, scoring less than 5

‘Pass mark’ on all parameters 7/10. 

 

A good score is a high score. A poor score is a low score.

 

   
 

This is a patchy result. Why aren't more people close to their ideal job?

  By and large this is a good result.
   
 

A fair result. Work is probably about as stressful as you want it to be. Walk away. Make appointments for your Self that allow you to get on with your work unhindered by interruptions.

 

As for those who scored 7/10 it didn't matter. For those who scored less than 7/10 it does matter. Recommend some career development training.

   
 

This is a patchy result. Of all our profile questions, this one is usually the worst answered. In this organisation there's some extra work for managers. For staff our recommendation is always to manage up.

 

Patchy. There are a sizable number of people who do not believe they are being paid what they're worth to the organbisation.

   
 

This is a patchy result. Everyone should get over 7.

 

Again, patchy. Why don't the people in the tail believe this is a caring organisation? The aim is to have all staff recording a score of 7 or more.

   
  except for a couple of people this is a good result. People like working with each other. We rarely see scores like this.  

With a couple of exceptions, morale is good. It's generally the case that our morale is good when my morale is good. The exceptions need to be dealt with.

Average score: 72. Compared with other groups this is a good score. For people who scored less than 70, there is the whiff of a suggestion they're not in the right job. The situation is certainly redeemable. Those who scored less than 50 are definitely not comfortable in this work situation.

The Buddha and Confucius both said 'Find the job you'd love to do and you won't have to do another days work in your life.'


Recommendations

 

Measure risk and Manage Risk

There is an epidemic of personally-generated musculo-skeletal dysfunction in our workplaces.

 

Most organisations neither measure the risk nor manage it.

 

Their workers compensation insurer doesn't measure the risk either. They don't rate premiums against individual risk.

 

We recommend the Organisation take seriously and monitor carefully the incidence of personally-generated musculo-skeletal dysfunction and put in place an organisation-wide strategy to improve strength, flexibility and mobility. By far and away a high proportion of people do not have a strength and flexibility program. As a result they are getting weaker and tighter by the week, thereby exposing themselves and the organisation to risk.

 

A high proportion of people said they would willingly agree to take part in a daily exercise program to improve their musculo-skeletal health.

 

A high proportion of people said they'd take part in a prehab program.

 

When push comes to shove and people become dysfunctional, it will be the Organisation that ends up paying the high cost of an avoidable musculo-skeletal complaint. In our opinion musculo-skeletal dysfunction caused by lack of a regular and systematic strength and flexibility program cannot be classified as an injury.

 

Responsibility for musculo-skeletal dysfunction needs to be sheeted home to individual employees, though it’s unlikely to happen without the establishment of a culture within the Organisation that supports, values and understands the importance of staff keeping themselves strong and flexible.

 

We recommend a range of strength and flexibility classes that are readily available Australia-wide: -

 

•

Posture and Flexibility

•

Yoga

•

Crookback Clinic

•

Tai Chi

•

Pontius Pilates

 

The Organisation would place itself in the forefront of OH&S practice if it took the musculo-skeletal risk seriously and moved heaven and earth to educate all staff about this risk and obligated them to take part in a regular strength and flexibility program.

 

Maybe The Organisation and its worker's compensation insurer could invest in a pilot program to increase staff strength and flexibility! The lack of strength and flexibility training coupled with poor abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility and shoulder function is a cause for concern and needs the attention of individual staff and managers.

 

Prehab and rehab classes

 

We strongly recommend that the people who are in current poor musculo-skeletal condition and who lack abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility, shoulder function and functional mobility, in particular those who - who failed to attain the bronze award -  be obligated to attend regular, in-house strength and flexibility classes. The pressure on the organisation's workers' compensation costs is such that to do otherwise would, in our opinion be to abrogate a responsibility for the prudent management of the organisation's finances.

 

Miller Health

7 Salvado Place Stirling ACT 2611

(02) 6288 7703