1.

Current musculo-skeletal condition

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

Dreadful                                                                          Fantastic

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

2.

Body composition

How close are you to your ideal weight?

>20

20

18

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

<2

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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. ……..

Poor                                                                                  Good

Less than 4

4

6

8

10

12

14

15

0

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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. ……..

Poor                                                                                  Good

<3

3

5

7

10

13

15

17

20

23

<25

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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

<3

3

5

7

10

13

15

17

20

23

>25

x

x

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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

Can't touch toes

F

P

W

x

0

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10+

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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.

Elbows and wrists can't touch     Wrists can't touch              Easy

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

9.

Strength training behaviour

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

10.

Strength training behaviour

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

Out of 93 people, 14 people got over 70/100 and 7/10 on each parameter. There is one exception, in the flexibility test, if participants could just touch their toes (and received a score of 4/10) I counted that as a reasonable score.

In the main these are people who train. They're in good shape.

Scored over 50, got a score of 5 or more for the individual tests.

Scored between 50 and 69 but failed some of the tests.

Scored less than 50 and failed many tests.

pass / fail

Current condition

to ideal weight

Leg strength

Abdominal strength

Upper body strength

Flexibility

Functional mobility

Shoulder function

Strength training

behaviour

Flexibility training

behaviour

Total

1.

If you can implement a daily strength and flexibility training program your staff are going to become stronger and more flexible. The risk to your workers compensation premium will decrease.

2.

When people's bodies are weak and out of alignment, their ability to support themselves while they're sitting down for long periods becomes diminished. The get a crook back sore shoulder and stiff neck. They blame the chair.

If they're outside working on the pick and shovel, lifting pipes and bags of cement ..., if they're out of alignment, already in pain and don't have a strength and flexibility training program, there is a disaster lurking just around the corner.

3.

When people's bodies are weak and out of alignment they can hardly lift a feather into the back of a ute, without doing their back in, let alone a bag of cement. They can't put books in bookshelves without getting the 'cold' shoulder. They can't type or move a mouse without getting the dreaded OOZE!

4.

Anyone more than 20Kg over weight is at grave risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction, as is anyone who can't do a situp or a pressup.

5.

But, regardless of where people start from, there is a high likelihood that poor function can be restored to good. In fact I'd go so far as to say that for 80% of people there's an 80% chance that they can get themselves back to 80% good function if they're diligent.

It just so happens that it's unlikely to happen in a surgery or pharmacy. Indeed, it's a big ask expecting someone to get better by having someone do something to them; sooner or later they have to do something to themselves.

6.

You've got to put in a firewall to stop the personally generated musculo-skeletal dysfunctions from being dressed up as work-related injuries.

The firewall is a regular and systematic strength and flexibility training program - at work, at home and in the gym.

 At the conclusion of one of my CrookBack Clinic training programs, 95% of your staff will willingly agree to taking part in a 10 minute strength and flexibility training session each day, in work time. All you have to do is organise it.

Those of your staff already experiencing chronic musculo-skeletal pain and those who lack strength and flexibility will willingly agree to attend a couple of 40 minute strength and flexibility sessions a week to bring them up to speed.