Work shouldn't be a pain in the back

Are ergonomic chairs the answer to repetitive strain injuries? What sorts of chairs are available? Or is it about the posture? Avantika Bhuyan has a few answers

Deepak Sharan is a busy man. He is a consultant in orthopaedics and ergonomics at Bangalore-based RECOUP, which gets 500 patients daily from across the world suffering from Repetitive Strain Injury, or RSI. "People with postural problems or those who use incorrect furniture are at risk of developing RSI, which is a group of overuse disorders affecting the muscles, tendons, nerves of the neck, upper and lower back, chest, shoulders, arms and hands," he says.

In plush offices across the country, where low lighting and designer interiors scream of success and affluence, the ergonomics of a workstation are often ignored. As a result, employees spend hours glued to the computer while seated in chairs that lead to bad posture, and hence put them atrisk of developing RSI. HS Chhabra, chief of spine service and medical director, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, says that bad posture causes strain of the ligaments, muscles and joints of the spine. "This can lead to restricted movement of neck, giddiness, vertigo, carpal tunnel and posture deviations, and later on result in early degenerative changes."
 
According to a study undertaken by RECOUP of 35,000 Indian computer professionals between 2001 and 2008, it was 27-year-olds that were mostly suffering from RSI. This is unlike the West where the disorder affects mostly middle-aged women. "The types of RSI commonly seen are Myofascial Pain Syndrome due to a sensitive knot within the muscle belly and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome - a result of compression of nerves and blood vessels between the base of the neck and the armpit," says Sharan.

The situation may be grim, but can be remedied easily. Today, chairs that allow one to maintain a proper posture at work are readily available in the market. "An ergonomic chair should have a supporting and sturdy backrest with arm supports and adjustable seat height," says Chhabra.

But doctors maintain that ergonomic chairs will solve just part of the problem. Constant movement is key to good posture at work. "You can do simple things neck exercises or shrugging of the shoulders. Plan your schedule in a way that you are not doing the same thing throughout the day. An hour at the computer can be followed by a meeting. Don't keep water on the table, instead go to the cafeteria to get it," says Alakananda Banerjee, head (physiotherapy and rehabilitation), Max Hospital, Saket.