Ergonomics

Ergonomic disorders are the fastest growing category of all the occupational illnesses. They include 56% of all diseases. Ergonomic risk refers to the physical stress factors and workplace conditions that carry a risk of damage or muscle-bone disorders of the employees. The risk is always present when the job requirements exceed the ability of workers to perform the task. If the tasks or movements repeat frequently (for example, every few seconds) the strain upon the muscles and tendons can accumulate, which can lead to permanent tissue damage. Tendons and muscles can often recover from the effects of repetitive stress if there is enough time to rest between these repetitions. Unfavorable working postures increase the fatigue of workers and the time of performing technology operations.

The main objective of physical ergonomics is to increase comfort, to reduce pain and the occurrence of muscle-bone disorders.

The International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) defines a Muscle-bone disorders (MSD) associated with work as such disorders and diseases of musculoskeletal system that have a causal determinant which is associated with work. 
Damages and degenerative changes of the musculoskeletal system are the consequence of mismatch between the requirements for the load of organism and the abilities of organism to respond to those requests.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) or Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) is a group of musculoskeletaldisorders in the joints of the upper part of body (hand, elbow, shoulder, neck) and less frequently in the lower part of body (knee, foot). 
Body position during work depends on the type of work and theconditions of working space. Non-physiological and forced posture at work, permanent standing or sitting, bending or squatting, kneeling and lying are very unfavorable because they lead to staticmuscle strain.

Musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders are damaged muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves, bones and local circulation which often appear in inappropriate, non-ergonomic positions. The symptoms of this disorder are as follows:

• Local muscle and joint symptoms: swelling, pain or sensitivity, redness, numbness, pallor, tension or stiffness;
• General symptoms: fatigue, pain, limited movement;
• Overuse syndrome of musculoskeletal system by cumulation of chronic micro-traumatic damages;
• Injuries of musculoskeletal system.

It is estimated that 2/3 of the total number of cases of sick workers suffer from one form of RSI, i.e. about 7% of world population suffers from a form of RSI. Epidemiological studies show that 25% of working population suffers from the disorder of system of movement, and individual complaints of back pain occur in 90% of the questioned ones. Every year from 11% to 14% of workers are limited in activity due to musculoskeletal disorders. Muscle-bone disorders are the most expensive category of illnesses caused by work. 62% of patients with muscle-bone illnesses have a certain degree of limitations in activities.

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