miller Health Occupational Health and Fitness

Index

68 RESULTS ABH AUGUST 2007

USEFUL LINKS

NEWSLETTER

FACT SHEETS

John Miller conducted a series of seminars for The Group in August 2007.

Approximately 50 participants completed the following profiles: -

■ Mind and Body

■ Musculo-skeletal risk factor

■ Stress risk

■ Career satisfaction

The results are presented in graphic format, with commentary.

CONTEXT

Information about the context of the seminars can be found on this link.

HEALTH PROFILES

The Mind and Body profile was used as a way of obtaining a snap shot of people’s health, fitness and stress levels. In the workplace it is also a good measure of the risk of absenteeism, presenteeism and workers’ compensation.

People in poor physical condition experience

• headaches

• poor sleep

• lack of energy and vitality

• musculo-skeletal dysfunction

• frequent colds and flu

• obesity

• anxiety ...

Click here to view the standards for each of the profiles.

The aging population

We believe (barring disability) there is little stopping most people of working age from being in exceptionally good physical condition – except lack of training. It's not so much that we have an aging population but a lazy population.

Theoretically, as people get older they should be able to maintain a high level of fitness – they’ve had longer to train!

The Governments of Australia base their medical system data on the fact that as people get older they become more dysfunctional. It's a poorly researched premise. What's actually happening is that people are getting older younger! They're unfit and unhealthy.

As a general rule, poor health and body system dysfunction is not so much related to age as it is to

• low levels of physical activity

• junk food diets

• over-consumption of alcohol

• smoking

• an inability to handle the normal stresses of life

• a job that does not suit their personality, intelligence strengths or interests

• an over-reliance on junk medicine - medicine that is pharmaceutically based and which masks

symptoms without stimulating the body's own recuperative power.

MIND AND BODY PROFILE

The Mind and Body 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.

How well people score on the Mind and Body profile provides them with a good indication of how fit and healthy they really are.

I read somewhere that we don't see full blown body system dysfunction until the particular system is 70% dysfunctional. What the Mind and Body profile does is pick up the dysfunctions at an early stage - (you know something's wrong and you feel dreadful but you can't put your finger on the particular system that's causing it.

But it doesn't matter that you don't know the precise system involved. What you are aware of is that one or more of your systems isn't working at full pitch. There is something wrong with the whole ecosystem.

The good news is that you can restore poor function to normal healthy function by getting fitter, eating wisely, meditating, getting the job you'd love to do ...) Very few people became fitter and healthier in a surgery or a pharmacy!

Being vigorously physically active on a regular and systematic basis is the most powerful symbol of your ability to give back to your Self. On top of that it protects the body from a wide range of dysfunctions and contributes to an enhancement of the body's own recuperative powers.

There is an epidemic of body system dysfunction in our community and it is certainly not caused by a lack of Panadol, Avpro, Diabex, Lipitor, Ventolin, Milantin, Celebrex, Valium, Zoloft, Viagra or Anusol!

The mind/body relationship

The body is an ecosystem of which the mind is an integral part. Major body systems are frequently negatively affected by stress generated in the mind. The body is incapable of dishonesty!

On the other hand, the mind is effected by the healthy working order of other body systems. Certainly it is positively affected by vigorous, physical activity, and Hourglass diet, meditation and a low-toxic environment.

People who are physically fit are less likely to become depressed. They are also more likely to have a strong immune system and an autonomic nervous system that is balanced and healthy in its management of key physiological responses. They are healthy and happy. They have normal blood pressure, they sleep like logs, are about their ideal weighty, rarely, if ever get a headache and don't have a crook back.

As your fitness level improves you can be certain that your score on the Mind and Body profile will also.

The profile

On this profile, the lower the score the better.

To complete the profile, circle the number appropriate to the degree to which you experience the symptoms on the left hand side of the page. The greater the symptom, the higher the score.

	Symptom	None		Not much			A fair bit			A lot
1.	Headaches	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2.	Migraines	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
3.	Lack of energy and vitality	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
4.	Candida - jock itch, thrush, tinea ...	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
5.	Poor sleep. If on tablets score 10	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
6.	Snoring &/or sleep apnoea.	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
7.	Crook back, sore shoulders RSI ...	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
8.	Frequent colds, flu, sinus	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
9.	Unsettled stomach, reflux	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
10.	Irritable bowel, constipation, trots ...	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11.	Overweight - 1 point for every 2Kg	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
12.	Asthma	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
13.	Low level of aerobic fitness	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
14.	Chest pain, palpitations	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
15.	Rashes, itchiness, psoriasis, zits	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
16.	Mouth ulcers, cold sores	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
17.	Elevated blood pressure. Score 0 on pills	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
18.	Reduced libido	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 in general	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
25.	Insecure/apprehensive about the future	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
26.	Sad or depressed (On medication, score 0)	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
27.	In wrong job for now	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
28.	Under-appreciated at work	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
29.	Under-appreciated at home	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
30.	Unhappy with family and romantic life	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 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.

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

This profile is described poor. The average score was 80. Anyone scoring more than 80 is putting up with a lot of 'background noise'.

HEALTH CLIMATE SURVEY

Based on scores received in the Mind and Body 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. We've highlighted the issue that seem to be of most concern to people.

Symptom	Aggregate score for 45 people	No. of people scoring over 7 on the profile	% of people scoring over 7
Poor sleep**	229	17	41
Lack of energy**	218	16	39
musculo-skeletal dysfunction*	215	15	37
Irritable bowel**	146	8	20
Crook guts*	128	7	17
Anxious**	170	7	17
Overweight***	117	6	15
Rashes**	106	6	15
Under appreciated at work*	131	6	15
Blood pressure**	80	5	12
Under appreciated at home*	123	5	12
Candida*	80	4	10
Snoring**	102	4	10
Colds and flu*	133	4	10
Unhappy family*	103	4	10
Headaches*	121	3	7
Fitness*	176	3	7
Libido**	94	3	7
Chest pain*	63	2	5
Grinding teeth*	49	2	5
Insecure*	120	2	5
Shakes*	58	1	2
Alcohol**	42	1	2
Caffeine*	92	1	2
Depressed**	94	1	2
Wrong job*	125	1	2
Migraines*	52	0	0
Asthma**	34	0	0
Mouth ulcers*	57	0	0
Smoking*	11	0	0

* Fitness related

* Diet related

* Stress related

Our recommendation is that the organisation focus on improving scores that have been highlighter highlighted.

Fitness

This workplace, like all others has a fitness problem.

It's interesting that rarely do people have their aerobic fitness levels measured, when aerobic fitness is the key driver of poor health. We measure every thing but; blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and fail to measure the key driver of metabolic health.

Blood pressure

I recommend the organisation take very serious note of blood pressure results and give staff every encouragement to seek non-medical interventions to restore blood pressure to normal. Of course when high blood pressure is first diagnosed medication is an appropriate, short term therapy, but it needs to be accompanied by the following programs

- fitness

- weight reduction

- yoga or meditation

- holidays

- stress management.

Musculo-skeletal dysfunction

Like all organisations, the organisation has a musculo-skeletal dysfunction problem. Sooner or later these self-generated dysfunctions become labeled as 'injuries', at great cost to the organisation's workers compensation arrangements.

It is recommended that the organisation build a firewall between dysfunctions and injuries. What this means is requiring staff at risk (and staff experiencing musculo-skeletal pain) to attend musculo-skeletal prehab sessions, in work time, to improve strength and flexibility and to get bones back into alignment - tracksuit therapy not white coat therapy.

Our survey showed that staff will willingly participate in such a program.

A similar approach needs to be taken with people who've already been tipped into the workers compensation bucket. These people should attend daily rehab sessions, conducted by registered fitness practitioners that involve strength and flexibility exercises.

There is probably a case for the organisation to establish its own health and fitness centre where prehab and rehab sessions can take place, where there is a good hydrotherapy pool.

There is a good case for subsidizing fitness centre memberships, but only for people who go and only for people whose fitness is getting better, or has achieved an acceptable level. A lot of organisations pay by input, not output. They don't get good value for money.

Smoking

The good news is that no-one smoked.

Depression

There is an epidemic of depression in our community and we encourage all organisations to target depression. Only one person was on anti-depressant medication. This is good news.

MUSCULO-SKELETAL RISK FACTOR

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 7 objective and 3 subjective assessments.

• Current musculo-skeletal condition

• Abdominal strength test

• Upper body strength test

• Flexibility

• Functional mobility – the ability to sit down and stand up with ease.

• Shoulder function

• Dominant hand grip

• Non-dominant hand grip

• Flexibility training behaviour

• Strength 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?)

This risk to The Organisation is much higher than the risk we see in other organisations. This is a poor result.


Not a particularly good result. 5 people are experiencing extreme pain and discomfort. Those scoring less the 6 need to be required attend a prehab/rehab program, for their own benefit and that of the organisation.		As a group this is not a good result. 3 people couldn't do one situp. 17 sit-ups (7/10) was the pass mark. People who can't do 17 sit-ups on the trot aren't serious about protecting their trunk from dysfunction.

Generally speaking a poor result. 5 people couldn't do one pressup. 17 press-ups (7/10) was the pass mark. People who can't do 17 press-ups aren't serious about protecting the arms and shoulders from dysfunction.		This is a poor result. 4 people couldn't touch their toes at all. Too many people already have tight muscles along the back side of their body - calves, hamstrings, buttock and back. It's caused by two things - sitting down and not having a flexibility program. There is a high risk of lower back and neck dysfunction.

This is a poor result. 4 people couldn't sit down on the floor and stand up again in 30 seconds. When you can't get down and up off the floor 7 times in 30 seconds you've got a mobility problem. Fix it!		4 people had severe shoulder dysfunction. Only seven people out of 23 had good shoulder function.

A patchy result. I strongly recommend people use the grip strengthener every day to improve grip strength.		A patchy result. I strongly recommend people use the grip strengthener every day to improve grip strength.

Its always the case, few people have a regular strength and flexibility program. The organisation 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.

Average score: 44. Not good. Not good at all. This graph show why people are experiencing pain. They are not in particularly good shape. Low levels of strength and flexibility. There is a strong case of the organisation to implement an obligatory strength and flexibility program for those who scored less than 60 in this profile.

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 counseling 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.


	This is not a good result.	This is not a good result either. Too many people are not sleeping well. The first casualty of anxiety and low levels of fitness is sleep.

	Not good. Paul Pearsal in his book 'Superimmunity' said you need a 21 day away from home holiday every year.	Not particularly good. A lot of people are not keeping themselves in good shape. Very hard to have high levels of energy and feel fantastic when you're not fit.

	Not good.	A patchy result, but only a small number of people not taking time off to switch off and get outside in the fresh air.

	This is a good result. Only a couple of 'delinquents.' No one on their death bed aver said 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.'	Not good. 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 a few. The tail suggests the organisation could move heaven and earth to encourage staff with family problems to go to the employee assistance program for advice and support.

Average score: 54. This is indeed an very average score. People could do more to look after their Self. I recommend that people scoring less that 50 spend time with a counselor or life coach to get themselves centred and grounded on looking after their Self.

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.