Is your job causing you pain? (Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders) Let's talk about this!

It's normal to feel tired after a long day at work. But do you also experience persistent pain, aches, or stiffness in certain parts of your body because of your job? Maybe it's your wrists , shoulders, neck, or back. Don't just dismiss these things as "just because they happen at work." These could be early signs of a more serious health problem.

What are these work-related disorders? (Musculoskeletal Disorders - MSDs)

Simply put, these are injuries and disorders that occur to the muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and nerves of our body due to the nature of work. These are not things that happen suddenly in a major accident. These conditions develop gradually over time due to things like repeating the same movements every day, being in bad posture, and lifting heavy weights . We also commonly call these `Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)`.

Imagine a sister who works in a garment factory. She sits in the same position all day, operating a machine, and making the same hand movements thousands of times. At first, she may feel a little pain in her hand, but it will go away after a few days. But after working like this for years, she starts to experience unbearable pain and stiffness in her wrist, fingers, and shoulder. Sometimes she even wakes up at night. It is only when she sees a doctor that she learns that this is a condition called `Carpal Tunnel Syndrome` caused by her job. This is just one example of this problem.

Who is more at risk?

In fact, anyone who continues to perform the same type of physical activity is at risk. Let's see which jobs in our country have the highest risk of this.

What are the symptoms?

These symptoms can vary from person to person, but the most common ones include:

• Pain: Burning, aching, stabbing pain.
• Numbness : A feeling of numbness or loss of sensation in the limbs.
• Stiffness: Feeling stiff and lifeless in the joints upon waking up in the morning.
• Weakness: You can't hold something firmly with your hand, you have difficulty lifting weights.
• Swelling and redness : The painful joint may become swollen and red.

What is 'Ergonomics'? Why is it important?

This may be a new word. `Ergonomics` simply means designing our work environment and equipment to be more comfortable and healthy for our bodies. That is, instead of making us accustomed to the work, making the work and the workplace accustomed to us.

Imagine that you work in front of a computer all day.

• Is your chair adjusted to provide back support?
• Is your computer monitor at eye level? Or do you have to crane your neck to look at it?
• Are your keyboard and mouse within easy reach?

Simple changes like these can greatly reduce unnecessary stress on the body. This is the basic idea of ​​`Ergonomics`. It doesn't have to cost a lot. Sometimes, small things like changing your working position or adjusting the height of your chair can make a big difference.

What should we do to prevent these situations?

Both the employee and the employer have a responsibility in this.

Things you can do as an employee:

• Maintain good posture: Keep your back straight when sitting in a chair. If you are lifting a heavy object, bend your knees instead of bending your back.
• Take a break: Instead of doing the same thing over and over again, take a few minutes break every hour. Get up and walk around, stretch your arms and legs.
• Do simple exercises: Do simple stretching exercises for your hands, fingers, neck, and shoulders while working.
• Don't ignore pain: Pay attention to even the slightest pain. If it persists, be sure to see a doctor.

What Employers Can Do:

• Educating employees: It is very important to educate employees about these types of injuries and how to prevent them.
• Creating an ergonomic environment: As much as possible, provide chairs, tables, and equipment that are comfortable for employees' bodies.
• Job Rotation: A program to assign the same employee to different tasks rather than having them do the same job continuously.
• Providing sufficient rest time.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have one or more of the following, see your family doctor (GP) or a doctor at a government hospital without delay.

• Pain lasting more than a week.
• Pain disrupts your daily activities or sleep .
• Numbness or loss of feeling in an arm, leg, or fingers.
• Difficulty holding something or feeling weak in the hand.
• The painful joint is swollen or red .

The doctor will examine you and, if necessary, refer you to physiotherapy or a bone and joint specialist. Remember, the sooner these conditions are diagnosed and treated, the better the chance of a full recovery.