JOA FITNESS

View Original

3 health problems that affect work productivity today

Usually, the development of physical activity is one of the principal factors people forget once they have started a job. As a result, The World Health Organization considers physical inactivity as a risk in terms of global mortality, associated with different illnesses and pains.

Pain is the first event associated with many medical diagnoses, because it lasts over time and affects recovery after it, so it becomes a phenomenon that weakens the individual, and their quality of life at the work level, the family, and in society according to experts with a Professional Master’s Degree in Therapeutic Personal Training.

Complementing the above, labor productivity is affected by the lack of movement and healthy lifestyle of employees, and physical inactivity, not only affects the company as such but also an entire economy based on studies of Katzmarzyk & Janssen. Also, the economic cost of physical inactivity stood for a significant increase in Canada's total health care costs in 2020 according to Fraser Research Bulletin.

Having the previous point clear, there are 3 main factors that can affect labor productivity:

  1. Neck pain: It is a discomfort in any of the structures, including muscles, nerves, bones, joints, and intervertebral discs from the bottom of the head to the top of the shoulders. Sometimes, it can extend to the upper back or arms and can limit how far you can move your head and neck.

At present, this is one of the more common diseases people have because of working in the same position during the day, such as sitting for hours looking at the computer, or cell phone, having a lot of stress during the workday, and poor posture.

  1. Back pain: It can range from a muscle ache to a burning sensation or a very sharp or stabbing pain, it may spread down the leg or worsen when you bend forward, twist, lift an object, stand, or walk.

The same happens in this case, poor posture without active breaks, causes various pains in this part of the body, it is one of the most common reasons why people go to the doctor or miss work, and one of the main causes of disability around the globe.

  1. Cardiovascular diseases: This is a broad concept that encompasses problems with the heart and blood vessels, which occur when fat and cholesterol build up on the walls of the arteries. The most well-known symptoms are pain or discomfort in the chest, and discomfort in the arms, left shoulder, jaw, or back.

According to the WHO, this disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Each year, more people die from cardiovascular diseases than from any other cause. The most common factors that cause this kind of affection are unhealthy food habits, physical inactivity, and harmful tobacco and alcohol use. 

A study of pain at work explains indeed pain is an experience that is nourished by multiple components such as specific aspects of the culture of work, the way a problem is inserted into the medical structure that treats it and the way the treatment was carried out. 

It is estimated that 30% of the experimental workforce loses productivity for periods of time that vary from a few days to two weeks. This is often associated with pain conditions such as headache, back pain, neck pain, skeletal muscle pain, and cardiovascular problems. 

The impact of physical handicaps and functional limitations has an impact on an emotional and professional level, which causes a decrease in productivity that directly affects the company by not obtaining the expected results.

What to do to solve these health diseases?

At this point, you must be wondering what to do in this case to help your body avoid this type of disease and the answer is quite easy: exercise. As you can see, the common point of the three factors is the lack of body movement and a sedentary lifestyle. 

Also, it is important to create new habits like keeping good posture, taking frequent breaks, avoiding carrying heavy bags with shoulder straps, sleeping in a helpful position, and adjusting to your workplace: the screen should be at eye level, the knees should be slightly lower than the hips, and use the armrests of the chair.

However, there are always professionals who have specific programs to improve posture and the health of the body. If it is a persistent problem and you need guidance from a qualified person, always keep in mind that there are many options available as you can find on this site with the brain-body connection activation movement educational posture program.