Expert: Dr. Victor Dolan, DC, DACBSP - 10/11/2010

Question
Dear Dr. Dolan,

We are a group of students from Victoria Junior College in Singapore. We are
currently engaged in a project about the office environment and we would
appreciate if you could offer your expert opinion on the following questions.

1. What most common health problems does the typical office environment
bring to its workers and what causes it?
2. Do you think that a lack of exercise is a cause for it, or aggravates it?
3. How do you suggest we can alleviate/eradicate these problems? (E.g.
stretching, stress relief)

We appreciate the time and effort that you have taken to read this message
and in advance, express our gratitude for answering our questions.

Regards and many well-wishes to you.

Lim Yi Lian Teri
Victoria Junior College

Answer
workers compensation, staten island workers compensation, workers compensation injury, staten island workers compensation injury, repetitive stress injury, occupational injury, traumatic injury,



Hello Teri Lim,

Thank You for your question.  Good luck with your school project!
Are you preparing to be a Doctor/ Nurse/ Ergonomic Engineer?

The "office environment" is obviously a safer environment than many industries, or even just driving in a car!  Some industries, some jobs are very risky:  look at those miners rescued from a cave-in in Chile!, look at Firemen that rush into burning buildings.  Certain jobs, certain careers, certain professions, certain environments are going to have an increased risk of injury.

As a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) I see many injuries, whether sports/ athletic injury (my passion and my specialty) or workplace injury; Chiropractic is a safe, effective, cost effective approach to restoring function and health.
         Healthcare professionals will talk about 'Repetitive Stress Injuries' when we talk about office place injury.  Certainly there can be slips/ trips/ falls (these can happen anywhere), there can be bending/ lifting injury (more common in industrial type jobs); but in the office- repetitive stress is a key.

In the office people often assume the SAME monotonous posture/ position/ movement pattern.  Repetition can break down our bodies, our muscles, our joints.
         Now-a-days with everyone on a computer keyboard, something like Carpal Tunnel can be a common condition.  Carpal tunnel is a condition where the nerves are pinched, and hand/ wrist/ forearm pain can occur.  Our posture, our workplace design can encourage injury (poorly designed workstations: too high, too low, too cramped, poor lighting/ ventilation), or discourage injury with proper design (good ergonomics).

To quickly answer "....1. What most common health problems does the typical office environment bring to its workers and what causes it?", I would say slips/ trips/ falls AND repetitive stress injury of any kind (particularly CTS, carpal tunnel syndrome- look at the end of this discussion for an information handout I give my Staten Island Carpal Tunnel patients).

From: http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/07/26/what-are-the-top-injuries-in-a-typic...
"....An office environment presents a unique set of potential injuries from other lines of work. Working virtually 100 percent indoors, in a seated position and usually talking on a phone, writing or typing on a computer paves the way for some of the top injuries -- back and neck pains, vision strains, pain in the hands and wrists -- to develop.
                Many distracted office workers are injured when they bump into drawers, file cabinets or doors that have been left open.
                Other injuries occur from mistakes that could happen anywhere -- objects left out to trip on, furniture that is not well-maintained, faulty electrical cords -- and even from the office, via poor ventilation, lighting and air quality, itself."
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/07/26/what-are-the-top-injuries-in-a-typic...

You also ask, "....2. Do you think that a lack of exercise is a cause for it, or aggravates it?", absolutely YES.
         Our modern lifestyle has led to 'deconditioning'.  We are NOT as healthy or fit as our predecessors.  Simple activities can result in soreness, injury.  We ride (drive) to/ from work and school.  We have labor saving devices, we have CONVENIENCE and luxury; we no longer PHYSICALLY work.  What we do not use,,,, we lose.  We play video games, instead of real games; yes- we are all 'deconditioned' ( a good concept for your health oreiented class to take a look at. See: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/deconditioned , extreme deconditioning: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8178204 ,
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/587890_5 .
         Many people are 'deconditioned' to start with, and then an injury- minor or major can lead to further deconditioning.

In my Chiropractic office, this Doctor often says, "The shape you are in determines the shape you are in". Sounds silly, doesn't it?
         What I mean is, if people were in better shape, they were less likely to get hurt in the first place!  Then AFTER injury, the better shape you are in (the better condition), the faster and more completely you recover.

".....3. How do you suggest we can alleviate/eradicate these problems? (E.g. stretching, stress relief)", First, we should try to PREVENT these problems, prevent injury.  Ergonomic design, common sense, being in better health BEFORE an injury can prevent many injuries.  'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure', many employers now actually practice this- with bonuses to quit smoking, keep blood pressure normal, lose weight, even 'exercise bonuses'.
         Stretching, stress relief, massage, exercise, better nutrition, chiropractic would all be good restorative/ rehabilitative approaches.  But, first, more efficiently, I would look towards prevention.

We DCs (Chiropractic Doctors) see a lot of workplace injury.  Workers Compensation is a common type of patient seen in the chiropractic office, and usually the Doctor is very helpful in restoring the injured worker to better function, better health, and return to work.  The doctor is also helpful in the legal aspects  of an injury sustained at work.  My practice includes Staten Island Work Comp ( workers compensation patients), you can see some information at www.SIworkcomp.com .

I hope this helps.  If you have further questions, you can contact this staten island chiropractic expert at: http://www.allexperts.com/ep/965-100794/Chiropractors/Victor-Dolan-DC-DACBSP.htm

Thanks for the question, good luck in school!

Dr. Victor Dolan, DC, DACBSP
www.siworkcomp.com




P.S.:
My Staten Island Carpal Tunnel Patients ( a repetitive stress disorder common in the workplace) get the following informative handout:

“Carpal  Tunnel  Syndrome”-CTS- (Also Known As- repetitive stress syndrome) Sometimes  we  wake  up  with  pain and tingling in our hand, fingers  and/ or wrist. Sometimes working can cause the same symptoms,,, especially any REPETITIVE motions/ postures.  .... sometimes a slip, trip, fall, heavy lift, or even a motor vehicle accident can cause CTS (carpal tunnel).  Ultimately-  the true    c a u s e   of  the CTS (  = pain in the fingers, hand, wrist, sometimes even UP the forearm) is a “Double Crush”.  CTS is, in part, pressure on the median nerve in the wrist.  BUT,    CTS  usually has pressure somewhere else along the same nerve as well.  If both ‘ends’ of the double crush are not properly treated, the CTS will not properly heal.  Besides nerve pressure in the wrist, perhaps there is a  ‘kink’ in the neck- more properly termed a Vertebral Subluxation.   Do not go just 1/2 way (and only treat the wrist) , treat the whole nerve to beat your CTS.
             
              Vertebral   Subluxation   Complex    (a.k.a.  ‘subluxation’)
The vertebral subluxation complex is often contributes to CTS and many other healthcare problems.  A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.

This   (subluxation)  is a serious condition identified by its five parts:
         Spinal   Kinesiopathology:
This is fancy way of saying the bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. It restricts your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
         Neuropathophysiology:
Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nerve system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
         Myopathology:
Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue changes muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
         Histopathology:
A rise in temperature from an increase in blood and lymph supplies result in swelling and inflammation. Discs can bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may suffer permanent damage.
         Pathophysiology:
The VSC contributes to OsteoArthritic degeneration. Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to malfunction.


The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position.
         Automobile accidents, office injuries, workplace accidents, improper lifting, improper posture, alcohol, emotional stress, chemical imbalances, and long periods of sitting can cause the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
          Vertebral  Subluxation   cannot   be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone.  Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction-  -  -    a manipulation,     best performed with the chiropractic adjustment.  For good health- Treat the   Cause,  not just the Symptoms.

Dr. Victor E. Dolan,   Doctor of Chiropractic;   Diplomat, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST  Chief of Chiropractic  in  a  Hospital  in  New York State (DHSI);  As  Seen  in  PREVENTION  Magazine ; Invited to Colorado Springs (Olympic Training Center) to  Care for USA Olympic Athletes , Chiropractor to the NYPD Football Team