Halloween is just around the corner!
It’s only fitting to use scare tactics in this blog to educate you about the scary side effects of not properly taking care of your body while working your office job.
By this point we all know that sitting for 8 hours straight at your computer is not good for you. Yet we find a lot of excuses to keep doing it. May it be a tight deadline, too much work to do, zoom calls back to back or simply forgetting to get up and take your lunch break.
Here are 10 spooky facts to help you find reasons to fix your habits and office space. The trick is to prevent discomforts and in turn you will be treated with increased productivity, take less days off due to pain and be more satisfied with your job. 
Spooky Fact 1: Sedentary behaviour in an occupational setting increases your risks of type 2 diabetes, muscle pain, poor mental health, and lower quality of life!
Spooky Fact 2: Switzerland paid 3.8 billion dollars in direct cost associated with neck and back pain!
Spooky Fact 3: 80% of teenagers report having symptoms of computer vision syndrome (dry eyes, headache, itchy eyes, blurred vision) when using electronic screens. This is compared to 40% of adults.
Spooky Fact 4: Computer screens frequently cause headaches in non-migraineurs or trigger migraine attacks for those who already have migraines.
Spooky Fact 5: The parts of your body that are most likely to feel discomfort if you are a computer user are your back, neck and shoulders! More than 50% of users reported pain in these areas!!!!
Spooky Fact 6: Office workers with non-optimal work set-up who don’t take microbreaks are more likely to experience discomfort!
Spooky Fact 7: High job demand and low control is considered a major factor for muscle pain development in office workers!
Spooky Fact 8: A study found that people with chronic low back pain sat significantly more asymmetrically than their office co-workers who sat with a neutral posture!
Spooky Fact 9: Office workers that sit for 1 hour assume a splummed sitting posture at 20 minutes of sitting!!! This increases discomfort in the lower back!
Spooky Fact 10: It is better to prevent discomforts than it is to react!
Although these are all alarming facts, the bright side is that these are preventable! If you have any questions email us at info@myergomania.com for more information.
Treat yourself to a neutral posture at the office this Halloween :)
References
- Biddle, G., Thomas, N., Edwardson, C. L., Clemes, S. A., & Daley, A. J. (2022). The views of GPs about using sit-stand desks: an observational study. BJGP open, BJGPO.2021.0203. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2021.0203
- Aegerter, A. M., Deforth, M., Volken, T., Johnston, V., Luomajoki, H., Dressel, H., Dratva, J., Ernst, M. J., Distler, O., Brunner, B., Sjøgaard, G., Melloh, M., Elfering, A., & NEXpro Collaboration Group (2022). A Multi-component Intervention (NEXpro) Reduces Neck Pain-Related Work Productivity Loss: A Randomized Controlled Trial Among Swiss Office Workers. Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 1–13. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-022-10069-0
- Del Mar Seguí-Crespo, M., Ronda-Pérez, E., Yammouni, R., Arroyo Sanz, R., & Evans, B. (2022). Randomised controlled trial of an accommodative support lens designed for computer users. Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists), 42(1), 82–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.12913
- Akiki, M., Obeid, S., Salameh, P., Malaeb, D., Akel, M., Hallit, R., & Hallit, S. (2022). Association Between Computer Vision Syndrome, Insomnia, and Migraine Among Lebanese Adults: The Mediating Effect of Stress. The primary care companion for CNS disorders, 24(4), 21m03083. https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.21m03083
- Yaghoubitajani, Z., Gheitasi, M., Bayattork, M., & Andersen, L. L. (2022). Corrective exercises administered online vs at the workplace for pain and function in the office workers with upper crossed syndrome: randomized controlled trial. International archives of occupational and environmental health, 95(8), 1703–1718. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-022-01859-3
- Putsa, B., Jalayondeja, W., Mekhora, K., Bhuanantanondh, P., & Jalayondeja, C. (2022). Factors associated with reduced risk of musculoskeletal disorders among office workers: a cross-sectional study 2017 to 2020. BMC public health, 22(1), 1503. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13940-0