152. REDnBLUE FEBRUARY 2012
John Miller conducted a Health Management program for The Group in February 2012.
6 people, completed the following profiles: -
■ Health, Fitness and Wellbeing
■ Musculo-skeletal risk
The results are presented in graphic format, with commentary.
Click here to read what the assessments are all about
HEALTH, FITNESS AND WELLBEING PROFILE
The Health, Fitness and Wellbeing profile provides people with a very good idea of how well the various systems of the body are functioning, particularly the
the mind
autonomic nervous system
immune system
digestive system
circulatory system
elimination system
musculo-skeletal system.
A good score is a low score. A poor score is a high score.
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|
Symptom |
None |
Not much |
A fair bit |
A lot |
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1. |
Headaches including migraines |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
2. |
Lack of energy and vitality |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
3. |
Candida - jock itch, thrush, tinea ... |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
4. |
Poor sleep. If on tablets score 10 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
5. |
Snoring &/or sleep apnoea. Score 10 if using a mask |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
6. |
Crook back, stiff neck, sore shoulders, dicky knee RSI ... |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
7. |
Frequent colds, flu, sinus |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
8. |
Unsettled stomach, reflux (Score 10 if on medication) |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
9. |
Overweight - 1 point for every 2Kg |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
10. |
Irritable bowel, constipation |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
11. |
Asthma |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
12. |
Low level of aerobic fitness |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
13. |
Chest pain, palpitations |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
14. |
Rashes, itchiness, skin outbreaks, psoriasis ... |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
15. |
Mouth ulcers, cold sores |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
16. |
Elevated blood pressure. Score 0 on pills |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
17. |
Elevated blood cholesterol. Score o if on pills |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
18. |
Elevated blood glucose. Score 0 if on medication |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
19. |
Shakes, nervous ticks, mannerisms |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
20. |
Grinding teeth |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
21. |
Alcoholic drinks per day (2 pts/drink) |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
22. |
Smoking. (1 pt/cigarette/day) |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
23. |
Caffeine (1 pt/cup per day) |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
24. |
Anxious about life, insecure, apprehensive |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
25. |
Sad or depressed (On medication, score 0) |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
26. |
In wrong job for now |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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|
27. |
Under-appreciated at work |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
28. |
Have poor work/life balance |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
29. |
Unhappy with family life |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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|
30. |
Unhappy with financial status |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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|
Score |
The score of a normal, fit and healthy human being is less than 20
Higher scores are symptomatic of dysfunction of one or more body systems.
People with high levels of stress usually score well over 100.
For people with a score of more than 80, the background noise of their life is becoming louder and louder. It is hard to concentrate on your work when body systems are dysfunctional.
We know a fit and healthy group when we see the majority of scores below 40. This was not the case with this group. By and large higher scores are usually a reflection of
low levels of fitness
an inability to deal with what life and work are serving up to people.
Remember, it is not what happens, but how we deal with what happens that determines our level of stress.
Classification of average scores: Excellent - less than 40. Good - 41 - 50. Fair 51-60. Poor - over 60.
This profile is described as very poor. The average score was 93. This is a highly stressed, unfit group. Anyone scoring more than 80 is putting up with a lot of 'background noise'.
HEALTH CLIMATE SURVEY
Based on scores received in the Health, Fitness and Wellbeing profile we've compiled a Health Climate Survey. Scores on each item have ranked - the higher the score the worse the problem. We added the scores for each item. The results appear in the table below.
| Symptoms/ issues / concerns | % of people scoring over 5 | No. of people scoring 10 | ||
|
Poor sleep |
80 | |||
|
Musculo-skeletal dysfunction |
60 | 1 | ||
|
Elevated cholesterol |
60 | 1 | ||
|
Grinding teeth |
60 | |||
|
Depressed |
60 | 1 | ||
|
Snoring, sleep apnoea |
40 | |||
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Overweight |
40 | |||
|
Elevated blood pressure |
40 | 2 | ||
|
Elevated glucose |
40 | |||
|
High caffeine intake |
40 | |||
|
Under appreciated at work |
40 | 2 | ||
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Poor financial status |
40 | |||
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Lack of Energy |
20 | |||
|
Reflux, unsettled stomach |
20 | 1 | ||
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Irritable bowel, constipation etc |
20 | 1 | ||
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Low level of fitness |
20 | |||
|
Chest pain, palpitations |
20 | |||
|
Shakes, nervous mannerisms |
20 | |||
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Anxious |
20 | |||
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Headaches |
0 | |||
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Candida |
0 | |||
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Frequent colds, flu, sinus |
0 | |||
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Shortness of breath from asthma |
0 | |||
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Itchy, rashes, psoriasis |
0 | |||
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Mouth ulcers |
0 | |||
|
Alcohol intake |
0 | |||
|
Smoking |
0 | |||
|
Wrong job |
0 | |||
|
Work-life balance |
0 | 1 | ||
|
Unhappy family life |
0 |
We registered those scores of 5 and over as being a symptom, issue or concern, the most pressing of which have been highlighted.
Perception
Based on people's perception (where they gave a particular symptom a score of 5 or more, and backed up by objective scores) the key issues are
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|
Obesity 40% of people said they were more than 10Kg over weight. It's a symptom of metabolic dysfunction and relates to high energy diets and low energy lifestyles. It's suggestive of elevated levels of insulin floating around the body, which is a precursor of all manner of body system dysfunctions - elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, elevated blood glucose.
The recommendation, that people need to get more exercise (at lunch time) and eat from the top of the Hourglass. |
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Musculo-skeletal dysfunction 60% of people said they had some sort of musculo-skeletal dysfunction.
Musculo-skeletal dysfunction goes with low levels of strength and flexibility. Those at greatest risk need encouragement to attend a strength and flexibility training program several times a week. |
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Under-appreciation at work 40% said they were under-appreciated at work. Surprising really when they all said they were in the right job. Sounds like some sort of a management problem!
There is usually a high and positive correlation between people being in the wrong job and people saying they are under-appreciated at work. In this case this rule did not apply. |
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Being in the wrong job Nobody of people said they were in the wrong job. |
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Depression and anxiety 60% of people said they were depreessed. There is an epidemic of depression in our community and we encourage all organisations to target depression.
One person was on anti-depressant medication.
There is a significant core of depression that relates to poor health generally.
All body systems are connected. The epidemic of depression will continue to escalate at the same rate as the epidemic of all other body system dysfunctions. People need to be given encouragement to exercise regularly and vigorous, eat less flour and sugar and imbibe less of the culturally chemicals - particularly nicotine, caffeine and alcohol.
Because of the relationship of depression to fitness and diet there is a chance that some people have been misdiagnosed.
Some aspects of depression relate to psychologically generated issues. It is important that these people be encouraged to have regular counselling - through the EAP or other counsellors -
The best book that I've read about depression and what you can do about it, and one that I recommend highly is by psychiatrist, David Servan-Schreiber, Healing Without Freud or Prozac. |
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Blood pressure 2 people indicated they were on blood pressure medication.
Blood pressure is a symptom of body system dysfunction relating directly to
- lack of aerobic fitness - being over weight - being stressed.
It's definitely not due to a lack of Avpro! |
MUSCULO-SKELETAL RISK FACTOR
Our musculo-skeletal risk factor profile looked at a range of parameters including mobility, strength and flexibility and whether people are training to keep themselves strong and flexible.
The musculo-skeletal risk factor profile is comprised of a mix of 7 objective and 3 subjective assessments.
Current musculo-skeletal condition
Closeness to ideal weight
Leg strength
Abdominal strength test
Upper body strength test
Flexibility
Functional mobility the ability to sit down and stand up with ease.
Shoulder function
Flexibility training behaviour
Strength training behaviour
Strength training behaviour
The 'pass mark' for each parameter is 7/10.
A score of 70% is readily attainable by those who have a regular and systematic training program.
Those scoring less than 70 are not doing sufficient in the way of strength and flexibility exercises. They are therefore exposing themselves to a high risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction. (It would be bizarre for a workplace to offer to pay the rehabilitation costs of people who were not keeping themselves strong enough or flexible enough to do their job without succumbing to musculo-skeletal dysfunction, wouldn't it?)
A good score is a high score. A poor score is a low score.
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A poor result. Those scoring less the 6 need to be required attend a prehab/rehab program, for their own benefit and that of the organisation. |
As a group this is a better than normal result. 2 people were over weight. Being overweight greatly compromises mobility and increases risk of lower back pain. |
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This is a poor result. 3 people couldn't squat down once. |
This is a poor result. 50% of people couldn't do one sit up. Low levels of strength in the muscles on the front of the body exposes people to an inability to keep the pelvis and spinal column in good alignment. |
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This is a mediocre result. 60% of people failed the test. This test exposes people with weak muscles on the back side of their body. They are leaving themselves open to back, shoulder and arm dysfunction.
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This is a poor result. 50% of people couldn't touch their toes at all. Too many people have tight muscles along the back side of their body - calves, hamstrings, buttock and back. It's caused by two things - sitting down and not having a flexibility training program. There is a high risk of lower back, neck and shoulder dysfunction. |
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A better result. Being overweight and having a game leg, dicky knee, bung hip and a crook back dramatically reduces mobility. |
Patchy. 30% had dysfunctional shoulders. The good news is that's it's redeemable. |
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Its always the case, few people have a regular strength and flexibility program. The organisation needs to put in train a regular and systematic training program, on site, that includes
1. specialist prehab and rehab sessions for those at serious risk and those already dysfunctional.
2. daily 10 minute strength and flexibility sessions for all staff. |
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Average score: 43. Not good. The risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction is high due to low levels of strength and flexibility. There is a strong case for the organisation to implement an obligatory strength and flexibility program for those who scored less than 60 in this profile. |
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Lack of strength and flexibility is something that the Organisation needs to take seriously and monitor carefully and put in place an organisation-wide strategy to improve musculo-skeletal function. By far and away a high proportion of people do not have a strength and flexibility program. As a result they are getting weaker and tighter by the week, thereby exposing themselves and the organisation to risk.
When push comes to shove and people become dysfunctional, it will be The Organisation that ends up paying the high cost of an avoidable musculo-skeletal complaint. Click here to read the article from injury to dysfunction. Click here to read about swifties and fallacies.
In our opinion musculo-skeletal dysfunction caused by the lack of a regular and systematic strength and flexibility program cannot be classified as an injury. Responsibility for musculo-skeletal dysfunction needs to be sheeted home to individual employees, though its unlikely to happen without the establishment of a culture within the organisation that supports, values and understands strength and flexibility.
We recommend a range of strength and flexibility classes that are readily available Australia-wide: -
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Posture and Flexibility |
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Yoga |
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Crookback Clinic |
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Tai Chi |
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Pontius Pilates |
The Organisation would place itself in the forefront of OH&S practice if it took the musculo-skeletal risk seriously and moved heaven and earth to educate all staff about this risk and encourage them to take part in a regular strength and flexibility program. Maybe The Organisation and its worker's compensation insurer could invest in a pilot program to increase staff strength and flexibility!
The lack of strength and flexibility training coupled with poor abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility and shoulder function is a cause for concern and needs the attention of individual staff and managers.
Recommendation
We strongly recommend that the people who are in current poor musculo-skeletal condition, and who lack abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility, shoulder function and functional mobility, in particular those who scored less than 60 on the profile, be obligated to attend regular, in-house strength and flexibility classes.
The pressure on the organisation's workers' compensation costs is such that to do otherwise would, in our opinion be to abrogate a responsibility for the prudent management of the organisation's finances.
RECOMMENDATIONS
See the generic list of recommendations that cover all our profiles.