Physical therapists are typically thought of as medical professionals that treat patients after they experience an injury or painful condition. While this certainly accounts for a large percentage of what we do at our clinics, another one of our major goals is to encourage changes that may stop injuries from occurring in the first place. With this in mind, we’d like to offer you some tips for preventing Parkville workplace injuries.

If you work in an office—as approximately 80% of working Americans do today—you may already be aware of the dangers of spending the majority of your day sitting. But in addition to how much you sit, how you sit and what you do while sitting at your desk are also important to keep in mind. Developing poor workplace habits can lead to injuries that will only get worse over time if nothing is done about them.

The most common Parkville workplace injuries result from repetitive stress or continuous trauma to the body. These types of injuries—which account for about two-thirds of all injuries at work—develop over time when the same motions are performed over and over, which places excessive and continual stress to various body parts. The primary causes that lead to these changes include forceful exertions, things that vibrate and staying in the same position—especially awkward positions—for long periods of time.

Over time, these types of habits can lead to muscle strains, inflammation or even tissue damage. The most commonly affected areas of the body are the arms, wrists, hands, neck, back and shoulders, but other parts of the body like the knees can also sustain damage. If not treated quickly and effectively, these Parkville workplace injuries can lead to long-term problems.

This is why the best strategy is to nip the problem in the bud and prevent Parkville workplace injuries before they develop. Here are some of the most effective strategies our physical therapists recommend:

How to prevent Parkville workplace injuries

• Improve the ergonomics of your workstation: ergonomics is essentially fitting the job to the person rather than the other way around; improving it includes making changes to the height of your chair and distance to the keyboard and monitor that’s best for your body; click here to read more about ergonomics
• Use good posture and body mechanics: your back should be kept straight, shoulders relaxed, elbows slightly bent, and wrist and hands straight

• Sit less, stand more: if you don’t have the option of a standing desk, try to take frequent breaks to walk around and stretch your back, neck and shoulders
• Improve your fitness: being in better shape will actually reduce your chances of suffering a workplace injury, especially if you focus on strengthening your core
• Practice safe lifting techniques: if lifting is involved in your job, make sure you know how to do so properly

For more assistance with preventing Parkville workplace injuries, we can help by providing ergonomic assessments, exercise programs and even workplace injury prevention programs. Contact CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services in Laurel, Hyattsville, Glenn Dale/Bowie and Parkville/Baltimore, MD at 301-853-0093 to schedule an appointment today and find out how we can help you or your office.