Workstation Assessment
Head & Neck Pain with Computer Use
An assistant head of a secondary school had a five year history of neck pain with computer work. The problem was getting significantly worse with symptoms coming on only after 15 mins of computer work. She was also suffering from weekly headaches that she felt were associated with the neck pain and recently her left shoulder had started to cause problems.
Ergonomic Workstation Assessment
WorkFuture Ltd were asked to undertake a full Ergonomic Workstation Assessment to help resolve the problem. The Ergonomic Workstation Assessment identified a number of issues that contributed to the problem including
- Chair dimensions and adjustments
- Working posture
- Working techniques
- Visual factors and visual environment
The Ergonomist trialled a number of different chairs in order to determine the chair with the most suitable dimensions and adjustments and demonstrated appropriate working postures. By working through various tasks it was identified that some simple additional equipment such as a footrest and document holder would improve neck posture while working. Lastly the Ergonomic Workstation assessment assessed the visual environment including the glasses used, lighting and screen qualities to ensure a more comfortable viewing environment.
A follow-up review 6 weeks after the implementation of the recommendations showed an 80% improvement in symptoms and the assistant head could now work for up to 2 hours without problems.