miller Health Occupational Health and Fitness

Index

Results AT September 2007

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John Miller conducted a series of health management seminars for The Group in September 2007.

44 people, 6 men and 38 women participants completed the following profiles: -

■ Mind and Body

■ Musculo-skeletal risk

■ Stress risk

■ Career satisfaction

The results are presented in graphic format, with commentary.

Click here to read what the assessments are all about

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.

	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, very poor. The average score was 97. 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.

	Symptoms/issues/concerns	% people with scores 7 & over
	Crookback*	62
	Poor sleep***	41
	Overweight***	38
	Fitness*	38
	Lack of energy***	35
	Irritable bowel*	29
	Crook guts**	26
	Blood pressure***	24
	Depressed***	24
	Headaches***	24
	Rashes**	21
	Smoking*	18
	Grinding teeth*	18
	Wrong job*	18
	Snoring***	15
	Under appreciated at work*	15
	Candida*	12
	Libido**	12
	Anxious*	12
	Insecure*	12
	Caffeine	9
	Migraines	9
	Shakes	6
	Chest pain	6
	Asthma	6
	Mouth ulcers	6
	Headaches	6
	Colds and flu	6
	Migraines	3
	Alcohol	3

* Fitness related

* Diet related

* Stress related

Our recommendation is that the organisation focus on improving scores on the 14 items highlighted. This is the largest number of items we've ever registered in yellow at the top of the profile.

Perception

Based on people's perception (where they gave a particular symptom a score of 7 or more, and backed up by objective scores) the three key issues are low levels of fitness, poor diets and lack of resilience.

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

The organisation has a serious blood pressure problem that relates directly to

- lack of aerobic fitness

- being over weight

- being stressed.

24% of people surveyed had a blood pressure problem. It behoves a considerate employer to find these people and move heaven and earth to get them back into good shape. It may mean getting to take their holidays so they can concentrate on getting healthier.

Whilst blood pressure is a personally-induced body system dysfunction, the nature of the work means that people at risk could easily 'fall over' on the job, and worked get blamed because of the stress. The organisation is leaving itself wide open.

A blood pressure reduction program that is pharmaceutically based misses the point. The medication masks the symptom - the underlying causes persist. Bad behaviour is encouraged.

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.

Obesity

38% of people surveyed were 20 or more kilograms overweight. This is not a trim, taut organisation. It's symptomatic of high energy diets, low energy lifestyles and (probably) people spending too much time at work.

Musculo-skeletal dysfunction

62% of people reported a high level of musculo-skeletal dysfunction. The pleasing news is that many attended the Crookback Clinic.

The main driver of body system dysfunction is lack of physical fitness. In the case of musculo-skeletal dysfunction it's a strength and flexibility problem. For the other items marked with a red asterisk it's an aerobic fitness problem.

Like all organisations, this 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.

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

Too many people smoked - 18% which is about the community average - but not for white-collar workers. It should be much lower. A lot of time is being lost by people going out for a smoke..

Depression

24% of people said they were depressed. That's higher than the community average. There is an epidemic of depression in our community and we encourage all organisations to target depression. 5 people were on anti-depressant medication. This is not good. People need time out to get themselves back into exceptionally good shape. There is a significant core of depression that relates to poor health generally. All body systems are connected. Should we only expect the heart or the pancreas to pack it in when we're in bad shape? I think not.

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.


This is poor result. People are groaning and travailing in pain. Those scoring less the 6 need to be required attend a prehab/rehab program, for their own benefit and that of the organisation.		This is a very very poor result. People who can't do 40 sit-ups on the trot aren't serious about protecting their trunk from dysfunction.

Another poor result. 2 people performed poorly. 17 press-ups (7/10) was the pass mark. People who can't do 40 press-ups aren't serious about protecting the arms and shoulders from dysfunction.		This is a poor result. 14 people couldn't touch their toes at all. Too many people 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 very high risk of lower back and neck dysfunction.

This is a better result, (comparatively speaking). When you can't get down and up off the floor 7 times in 30 seconds you've got a mobility problem. Fix it! Nevertheless, 35% of people have a serious mobility problem.		A much better result.

A mediocre result. I strongly recommend people use the grip strengtheners every day to improve grip strength.		A mediocre result. I strongly recommend people use the grip strengtheners 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: 45. Not good. 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.

Lack of strength and flexibility is something that the Organisation needs to take seriously and monitor carefully and put in place an organisation-wide strategy to improve musculo-skeletal function. By far and away a high proportion of people do not have a strength and flexibility program. As a result they are getting weaker and tighter by the week, thereby exposing themselves and the organisation to risk.

When push comes to shove and people become dysfunctional, it will be The Organisation that ends up paying the high cost of an avoidable musculo-skeletal complaint. Click here to read the article from injury to dysfunction. Click here to read about swifties and fallacies.

In our opinion musculo-skeletal dysfunction caused by lack of a regular and systematic strength and flexibility program cannot be classified as an injury. Responsibility for musculo-skeletal dysfunction needs to be sheeted home to individual employees, though it’s unlikely to happen without the establishment of a culture within the organisation that supports, values and understands strength and flexibility.

We recommend a range of strength and flexibility classes that are readily available Australia-wide: -

•	Posture and Flexibility
•	Yoga
•	Crookback Clinic
•	Tai Chi
•	Pontius Pilates

The Organisation would place itself in the forefront of OH&S practice if it took the musculo-skeletal risk seriously and moved heaven and earth to educate all staff about this risk and encourage them to take part in a regular strength and flexibility program. Maybe The Organisation and its worker's compensation insurer could invest in a pilot program to increase staff strength and flexibility!

The lack of strength and flexibility training coupled with poor abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility, shoulder function and grip strength is a cause for concern and needs the attention of individual staff and managers.

RECOMMENDATION

We strongly recommend that the people who are in current poor musculo-skeletal condition, and who lack abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility, shoulder function and functional mobility, in particular those who scored less than 60 on the profile, be obligated to attend regular, in-house prehab and rehab strength and flexibility classes.

The pressure on the organisation's workers' compensation costs is such that to do otherwise would, in our opinion be to abrogate a responsibility for the prudent management of the organisation's finances.

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 a mediocre result. Too many people are not managing stress adequately.	This is a very poor result. The first casualty of anxiety and low levels of fitness is sleep.

	A poor result. Paul Pearsal in his book Superimmunity' said you need a 21 day away from home holiday every year.	Not good. A lot of people are not keeping themselves in good shape.

	Not good.	A poor result. Too many people don't take time off to switch off and get outside in the fresh air. This is a reflection of poor management - personal and organisational

	This is a good result.	Not good. People are too busy to look after and nurture their Self.

	Very few people meditate. The reasons to do so are compelling, particularly for people in this industry.	Family life satisfaction is patchy. 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: 50. This is a poor 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, or go to a personal development weekend 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.