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THE OPERATOR
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 40% of people regularly experience musculo-skeletal pain. Most
don't complain, they think it's normal, they put up with it, and whilst
they don't know the cause of it they blame work.
Those that
make a serious complaint become part of the very expensive white coat merry-go-round; which means
a lot of money is spent but not much progress is made toward making
people stronger and more flexible and restoring
poor function to good.
If you want to know more about all of
this, including the distinction between injury and dysfunction and how
to avoid swifties and fallacies, click through to the article
From Injury to Dysfunction.
The Musculo-skeletal Risk Factor 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'd normally conduct the assessment as
part of the Crookback Clinic and at the end of it feed back a report
that includes
n
frequency histogram graphs of each of the parameters measured
n
recommendations about what needs to
be done to lower the risk.
THE MUSCULO-SKELETAL RISK FACTOR PROFILE
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 bad score is a low score.
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1. |
Current musculo-skeletal condition
How would you rate the current
condition of your musculo-skeletal system?
Dreadful
Fantastic |
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0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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2. |
Body composition
How
close are you to your ideal weight? |
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>20 |
20 |
18 |
16 |
14 |
12 |
10 |
8 |
6 |
4 |
<2 |
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0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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3. |
Squat
From a standing position, how many times
can you squat down, with backside as close to your heels
as they will go, and stand up straight,
in 30 seconds. You may use a heel raise (as illustrated
if you need to.)
No.
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Poor Good |
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Less than 4 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
15 |
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0 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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4. |
Abdominal strength
How many situps can you do in 30 seconds. Lie down on
your back with feet flat, knees bent at 90 degrees and
arms outstretched on your thighs. Sit up to touch the
bottom of your knee caps. Don’t count those situps where
your fingers can’t reach the bottom of your knee caps or
your feet lift off the ground.
No.
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Poor Good |
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<3 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
13 |
15 |
17 |
20 |
23 |
<25 |
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0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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5. |
Upper body
strength
How many pressups can you do in 30 seconds; 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.
No. ……..
Poor Good |
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<3 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
13 |
15 |
17 |
20 |
23 |
>25 |
x |
x |
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0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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6. |
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 your knees straight. 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 |
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Can't touch toes |
F |
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P |
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W |
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x |
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0 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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7. |
Functional mobility
How many times can you sit down and stand up in 30 seconds. Start standing
up with legs straight. Sit down on the floor (legs straight out) and stand
up.
No. ……..
Poor Good |
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0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10+ |
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0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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8. |
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. |
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Elbows and wrists can't touch Wrists can't touch Easy |
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0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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9. |
Strength training behaviour
Do you have a regular and systematic strength
training program? No. of sessions per week |
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0 |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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10. |
Strength training behaviour
Do you have a regular and systematic flexibility
training program? No. of sessions per week |
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0 |
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3 |
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0 |
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9 |
10 |
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Total |
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YOUR RISK OF
MUSCULO-SKELETAL FUNCTION IS
ASSESSED AS: -
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Low if you scored over 70
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Medium if you scored between 50 and 70
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High if you scored less than 50
If you scored less than 50
we suggest you attend the Crookback 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.
If you want to take a look at some sample
scores on this profile go to
Musculo-skeletal Risk Factor Profile Results.
PLATINUM CHALLENGE
The
MUSCULO-SKELETAL PLATINUM
FITNESS CHALLENGE is our highest level award.
It involves 3 key
measures of fitness.
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1. |
ABDOMINAL STRENGTH
Situps - feet
held - maximum consecutive number in 90 seconds - feet held,
fingers clasped behind the ears, coming up so elbows
touch the knees, shoulders (not head) hitting the
ground. |
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2. |
UPPER
BODY STRENGTH
Pressups
- maximum consecutive number in 60 seconds - men on
toes, women on knees. |

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3. |
LEG STRENGTH
Squat - number of times you can
squat down so your backside is close to your heels and stand-up (straight) in
60 seconds. Start standing up. |
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SCORING
To achieve a
particular standard you need to complete the required
number of repetitions as listed below. Your award
depends on the lowest score you receive for any one of
the items. eg, if your lowest score was, say 30 situps,
your final score is the Plastic Award.
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Award |
Situps |
Pressups |
Squat |
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10. Platinum |
55 |
55 |
55 |
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9. Gold |
50 |
50 |
50 |
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8.
Silver |
45 |
45 |
45 |
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7.
Bronze |
40 |
40 |
40 |
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6. Tin |
35 |
35 |
35 |
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5.
Plastic |
30 |
30 |
30 |
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4. Wood |
25 |
25 |
25 |
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3.
Cardboard |
20 |
20 |
20 |
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2.
Paper |
15 |
15 |
15 |
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1.
String |
10 |
10 |
10 |
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0.
Goo |
<10 |
<10 |
<10 |
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© John Miller
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Date |
Situps |
pressups |
Squats |
Award |
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