Occupational Health and Fitness
Audit
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Occupational Health and Fitness Audit |
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RESULTS AB1 SEPTEMBER 2005 |
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| The Lifestyle Prescription stands head and shoulders above all other prescriptions for keeping yourself healthy.
Remember, it's a big ask expecting to get better by having someone do something to you: sooner or later you have to do something to yourself.
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CROOKBACK SEMINAR AND AUDIT PROGRAM
CONTEXT The Crookback, seminar, assessment and program conducted by Miller Health is based on the premise that the health of key body systems depends on
physical fitness diet and an ability to manage the stress of both life and work.
Within the Australian community, there is currently an epidemic of musculo-skeletal dysfunction which when translated into the workplace is associated with increased absenteeism and workers compensation, and decreased work performance and productivity.
Based on my experience, there are very few organisations that are immune from this epidemic. And while the risk is high, few employers and few individuals are doing much about it. The problem is getting worse, the costs higher.
THE PROGRAM The program consisted of a series of one and a half hour seminars, during which time people completed the musculo-skeletal risk factor and other health-related profiles.
Other profiles were included on the premise that people with low levels of health and fitness generally, people who are stressed and people who are not happy with their job are likely to be at greater risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction.
Health Profiles As well as the musculo-skeletal risk factor profile, we used the Mind and Body profile as a way of obtaining a snap shot of peoples 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 shape experience headaches poor sleep lack of energy and vitality musculo-skeletal dysfunction frequent colds and flu obesity reduced libido anxiety ...
Other profiles included
stress risk - based on the habits of unstressed people career satisfaction
Sample Because of the nature of the sample selection, it is not appropriate to make organisation-wide generalizations about health and fitness.
OH&S RISK MANAGEMENT Overall we rated the health of the group as patchy and the risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction as high.
THE AGING POPULATION We believe (barring disability) there is nothing stopping anyone of working age from being in exceptionally good physical condition except lack of training
RESULTS
1. 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.
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.
THE MIND AND BODY PROFILE None Not A fair A lot much bit
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.
Based on our experience with other organisations, the ResultsA1 scores can be classified as very poor indeed. Only two people out of 79 scored less than 20 the score of a normal, fit and healthy human being. The average score was 80. That is not good.
We know a fit and healthy group when we see the majority of scores below 40. This was not the case with the ResultsA1 group. By and large higher scores are usually a reflection of
low levels of fitness elevated levels of life and work stress
The score of a normal fit and healthy person is less than 20. The scores under 40 can be classified as good. Too many people scored more than 40.
This profile of staff of ResultsA1 is not good. Theoretically, for a fit and healthy group of people it should peak in the 30s and then tail off to the 80s.
How well you score on the Mind and Body profile will provide you with a good indication of how fit and healthy you 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. 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. The good news is that you can restore function to normal by getting fitter, eating wisely, getting the job you'd love to do ...)
I said earlier that 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 not caused by a lack of Panadol, Avpro, Diabex, Lipitor, Ventolin, Milantin, Celebrex, Valium, Viagra or Anusol! The mind is an integral part of the body. Major body systems can be affected negatively by stress generated in the mind, and lack of vigorous physical activity. The body is incapable of dishonesty!
On the other hand, the mind and the body can both be positively affected by physical activity, a good 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 become lower.
2. MUSCULO-SKELETAL RISK
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 10 objective and subjective assessments. Current musculo-skeletal condition Age Closeness to ideal weight Abdominal strength test Upper body strength test Flexibility Functional mobility Shoulder function Involvement in a regular strength training program Involvement in a regular flexibility training program
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 is bad luck that the workplace will have to eventually shoulder the cost!)
Most people rated their current musculo-skeletal status as poor.
A large number of people were lacking in abdominal muscle strength. This is a big risk to the staff and the organisation. Crook backs go well with weak abdominal muscles.
The risk of shoulder and neck dysfunction is high because of the lack of upper body strength.
The most dramatic of results was the lack of systematic strength and flexibility training. People are setting themselves for future musculo-skeletal dysfunction.
This is one area the ResultsA1 needs to take seriously and monitor very carefully and put in place an organisation-wide strategy to improve musculo-skeletal function. By far and away the higher 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 ResultsA1 organisation that ends up paying the high cost of avoidable musculo-skeletal complaints.
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.
This risk is in line with the risk we see in all organisations that we survey. It is yet to be taken seriously by any of these organisations. Employers and their workers compensation insurers are exposing themselves to high costs associated with loss of time and rehabilitation services.
We recommend a range of strength and flexibility classes that are readily available around Australia.
Crookback Clinic Posture and Flexibility Yoga Tai Chi Pontius Pilates Body Balance
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.
MUSCULO-SKELETAL RISK FACTOR PROFILES
RECOMMENDATIONS See the generic list of recommendations. |
