Prevention of Musculoskeletal disorders & role of physical therapist (assignment). causes of MSK disorders , Factors to be considered in Prevention of MSK disorders.

1. RIPHAH INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Prevention of
Musculoskeletal disorders
And role of physical therapist
Tahir Ramzan
12/31/2013

2. Assignment No: 02
Health & Wellness
29/04/13
What is the role of physical therapist in prevention of musculoskeletal
disorders?
A musculoskeletal system is an organ system that gives humans the ability to move using the
muscular and skeletal systems. The musculoskeletal system provides form, support, stability,
and movement to the body.
The term musculoskeletal disorders denoted health problem of the locomotor apparatus i.e. of
muscles, tendon, skeleton, cartilage, ligaments etc.
Because many other body systems, including the vascular, nervous, and integumentary
systems, are interrelated, disorders of one of these systems may also affect the
musculoskeletal system and complicate the diagnosis of the disorder's origin
Any Disability regarding musculoskeletal system is mostly the cause of
Poor posture
Abnormal body alignment
Consistency in same body position for long time
repetitive or sustained application of force
Repetitive or sustained awkward posture.
Repetitive or sustained movement.
Application of high force including jerky or unexpected force.
Exposure to sustained vibration in combination with any of the above .
Handling of live people or animals, or .
Handling of loads that are unstable, unbalanced or difficult to grasp or hold.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system mostly encompass functional disorders or motion
discrepancies. Disorders of muscles from another body system can bring about irregularities
such as: impairment of ocular motion and control, respiratory dysfunction, and bladder
malfunction.
Physical Therapist do not wait for “DISORDER” to occurs ..So He Goes for “Prevention..

4. Factors to be considered in Prevention:
1. The Ideal Balance:
A weighed balance between activity and rest is necessary. Res pauses are prerequisites for
recovery from load-induced strained and for preventing accumulation of fatigue. Overload
and inactivity should be avoided.
The individual “favourable load” can vary from subject to subject depending on functional
abilities and individual resources.

5. 2. The principle of Ergonomics:
A Risk for musculoskeletal disorders appears if the load and functional capacity of the
working person are not balanced. The basic principle of ergonomics is to create a balance
between requirements of work and capacity of the working person, by either adapting work to
the person or by design of respective apparatus or by developing capacity of worker in
training programmes etc.
3. Work performing Strategies:
A risk factor for overloading the musculoskeletal system results from performing the work by
the worker. There are less risky strategies to execute the task e.g lifting heavy having COG
near the body. To fulfil this demand, heavy objects should b lifted whenever possible by
bending the knees instead of bending back .

6. 4. Consider the work area design and layout
The physical features of the workplace can significantly affect the way work is done and can
be
a source of risk. Placement or design of items in a work area can lead to workers being
exposed to:
sustained exertion of force
sustained awkward posture
repetitive reaching bending or twisting, and
increased frequency of tasks
A work area designed without consideration of the risks that arise from manual tasks may
impose awkward postures on workers undertaking manual tasks, for example, bent and
twisted positions with shoulders raised and the need to reach for items over long distances.
This also increases the amount of force required to carry out the task.
5. Consider the working environment
Workers may be exposed to a variety of thermal environments while undertaking tasks in
certain
occupations and industries. These conditions can lead to:
increased grip force due to reduced sensitivity in the hands in cold environments or
difficulty grasping
due to perspiration on the hands in hot environments
sudden high force due to loads slipping from the hand, or
sustained forceful exertion to maintain a grip.

7. The need to wear personal protective equipment for the thermal environment can be an
additional source of risk while undertaking manual tasks, for example, wearing thick clothing
that restricts movement while working in cold condition.
Carpel tunnel syndrome prevention:

8. Prevention of Tennis Elbow:
Back pain:
________________ END ______________
To: Dr. Asad
By: Tahir Ramzan (3855)