Miller Health, occupational health and fitness

Bad workmen have always blamed their tools. It's still happening, only this time it's the desk, the chair and the mouse - or if you work outside, the seat, the steering wheel, the floggle-toggle, the broom or the shovel - that get the blame.

Of all the health assessments we conduct in the workplace, this one appears to be most pressing. This is because close to 50% of people regularly experience musculo-skeletal pain.

Ask any group of people to rate the current condition of their musculo-skeletal system and 50% will give themselves 5/10 or less.

Most don't complain, they think a certain amount of joint and muscle pain is normal. They blame their age, their occupation or the sport they played when they were young, they put up with it.

Their physician is clueless about diagnosing causation. They don't know where to look. This being the case they don't know what to prescribe to treat the problem.

One thing is clear, back (and most other joint and muscle pain) is not caused by a lack of rubbing, crunching, heating, vibrating, strapping, doping or surgery. The most common prescription is a pill to mask the pain. The problem gets worse.

Those that make a serious complaint become part of a very expensive therapeutic merry-go-round; which means a lot of money is spent but not much progress is made toward making people stronger and more flexible, restoring poor function to good, getting their skeletons back into better alignment, and relieving the principal symptom - pain!

The Ten Point Musculo-skeletal Risk assessment profile provides individuals and organisations with an audit of current and future risk - plus the tools they need to get themselves back into alignment. The tools are called strength and flexibility exercises. You have to do them to yourself; no-one can do them for you.

We normally conduct the assessment as part of the Musculo-skeletal Health Seminar.

TEN POINT MUSCULO-SKELETAL RISK ASSESSMENT

Give yourself a score out of ten, appropriate for your performance on each of the ten questions below. A good score is a high score. A poor score is a low score.

If you don't think it is safe for you to do any of these tests don't do them. If it hurts, stop doing the test immediately. These tests are safe and easy to complete for people in good musculo-skeletal health.

Items in red - squats, situps and pressups are the Fit-for-Work tests.

Current musculo-skeletal condition

How would you rate the current condition of your musculo-skeletal system?

Poor

Good

Body composition

How close are you to your ideal weight? Estimated kilograms over your ideal weight or percent body fat.

Weight

Obese

Slim

>35

<35

<30

<25

<20

<15

<10

%BF/M

>40

<40

<35

<30

<27

<23

<20

<18

<15

%BF/F

>50

Abdominal strength - feet held

How many situps can you do until exhaustion with your feet held. Lie down on your back with feet flat, knees bent at 90 degrees, arms crossed and fingers holding your shoulders. Sit up so your elbows tough your knees. Don’t count those situps where your elbows don't touch your knees.

Number until exhaustion.

Poor

Good

Upper body strength

How many pressups can you do until exhaustion; women on the knees and men on the toes. For women make sure your knees, bottom and shoulders are in a straight line; ie your backside shouldn’t be sticking up in the air. Don’t count those pressups where the body flops onto the floor.

Number until exhaustion.

Poor

Good

Squat

From a standing position, how many times can you squat down, with backside at least half way between your knees and the floor as they will go, and stand up straight, until exhaustion. You may use a heel raise (as illustrated if you need to.)

Number until exhaustion.

Poor

Good

Sit and reach - hamstring flexibility

In a sitting position, with legs outstretched in front of you, see how far down past your toes you can reach with your fingers. Keep legs straight and backs of knees on the floor. Score 4 if you can get your fingers to your toes (T), 5 for the first knuckle, 6 for the second and 7 if you can get to the palms (P). Score 10 if you can get your wrists past your toes (W).

Poor

Good

Can't touch toes

Ability to sit up straight - buttock flexibility

With legs crossed and hands clasped behind the back, see if you can sit up straight without falling over.

Your score is based on the worst of the scores for each side.

Falling over backwards on either side scores 0.

Fall over when hands clasped behind back

Just

Good

10+

Shoulder function - wall test - a subjective assessment

Stand with your back to the wall. Place your hands in the surrender position with elbows, forearms, wrists and fingers flat back on the wall. Score 10 if you can do this with ease. Score low if you have difficulty getting into this position or lower still if your elbows and wrists are a long way from the wall.

Forearm, wrists and fingers not flat

Just

Easy

Strength training behaviour

Do you have a regular and systematic strength training program? No. of sessions per week

10.

Flexibility training behaviour

Do you have a regular and systematic flexibility training program? No. of sessions per week

Total

YOUR RISK OF MUSCULO-SKELETAL FUNCTION IS ASSESSED AS: -

● Very low if you scored over 80

● Low if you scored over 70

● Medium if you scored between 50 and 70

● High if you scored less than 50

If you scored less than 50 we suggest you attend the Global Back Care Clinic - or a yoga, tai chi, Pontius Pilates, Body Balance, Pump or Complete Workout program three times a week. Do that and you'll get your musculo-skeletal system back into very good shape in a few months. You'll feel the difference after a couple of weeks.

SAMPLE RESULTS

The evidence - Amalgamated Musculo-skeletal Health Risk report spreadsheet

The evidence - 'Oodnawoopwoop Council' Musculo-skeletal Health Risk report spreadsheet

The evidence - 'Oodnawoopwoop Council' joint condition spreadsheet

WORKPLACE ACCIDENT INSURANCE BLUEPRINT

Click here to download a copy of the Workplace Accident Insurance Blue Print - a must read for Workplace Health and Safety managers.

Miller Health
7 Salvado Place, Stirling (Canberra)

ACT 2611 Australia
(02) 6288 7703