辦公室不當抬重姿勢引發的傷害，你知道嗎？

簡介不當抬重姿勢

舉重物是許多工作場所的常見任務。不幸的是，不正確的抬重姿勢會導致各種肌肉骨骼損傷，尤其是背部。這些傷害的最常見原因是錯誤的抬重姿勢。在這篇文章中，我們將討論工作場所不良抬重姿勢的流行病學、危險因素、解剖學成因、分類、常見症狀，以及改善症狀的 5 種不同練習。

你是屬於容易因不當抬重姿勢而引發傷害的人嗎？

根據一項研究，肌肉骨骼疾病是亞洲工作相關殘疾的主要原因。研究發現，香港僱員肌肉骨骼疾病的患病率約為12.4%，低於亞洲的平均患病率（15.6%）。然而，該研究還發現，包括物理治療診所在內的醫療保健和社會援助行業的工作人員患肌肉骨骼疾病的風險更高（Choi et al., 2019）。

發表在《國際工業人體工程學雜誌》上的另一項研究報告稱，在包括香港在內的亞洲國家，提重物是導致與工作相關的肌肉骨骼疾病的常見原因（Kim et al., 2018 ）。研究發現，經常舉重物的工人患背痛和其他肌肉骨骼疾病的風險更高。

不當抬重姿勢引發傷害的風險因素

一些風險因素會增加在工作場所出現不良舉重姿勢的可能性。這些包括：

經常提重物
重複性提舉動作
奇怪姿勢
身體素質差
缺乏適當的提重技術培訓
肥胖
抽煙

不當抬重姿勢引發傷害的解剖學成因

人體背部是一個複雜的結構，由骨骼、肌肉、韌帶和神經組成。脊柱由 33 節由椎間盤分隔的獨立椎骨組成。背部肌肉分為三組：淺層、中層和深層。淺層肌肉包括斜方肌、背闊肌和豎脊肌。中間肌肉包括上、下後鋸肌，而深層肌肉包括多裂肌、迴旋肌和棘間肌。背部韌帶將椎骨固定在一起，而背部的神經則為肌肉提供感覺和控制。

分類

工作場所不良的提舉姿勢可分為三類：急性、亞急性和慢性。急性背痛是一種突然發作的疼痛，通常是由外傷事件或不正確地舉起重物引起的。亞急性背痛是一種持續 4-12 週的疼痛，而慢性背痛則持續超過 12 週。

不當抬重姿勢的常見症狀

工作場所不良舉重姿勢的常見跡象和症狀包括：

腰痛
背部僵硬
肌肉痙攣
行動不便
腿部刺痛或麻木
腿部無力
站立或行走困難

怎樣檢查我是否患有不當抬重姿勢引發的傷害？

除了有以上所說的病徵，你亦需要經驗豐富的治療師為你進行一系列的檢查，例如詢問病史、目測、觸診、姿勢評估、脊椎活動度、脊椎排列、關節移位、關節活動幅度測試、關節末端範圍感覺、肌肉張力測試、肌肉力量測試、神經反射測試、神經張力測試、感覺測試、動作分析，左右不平衝、代償等等。若你無法確定自己是否患上這個症狀，建議你尋找醫療專業人士為你檢查。

有什麼電療可以止痛及修復不當抬重姿勢引發的傷害？

超聲波療法：使用高頻聲波來增加血液循環並減輕患處的疼痛和炎症。
干擾波電療法：即IFT電療，使用中頻電刺激來減輕疼痛和腫脹，並促進癒合。
衝擊波治療：利用衝擊波破壞粘連，促進組織自愈過程。
深層加熱筋膜刀治療：利用深層加熱效應增加血液循環，配合筋膜刀手法鬆解筋膜粘連。
針灸療法：增加局部血液循環，抑制疼痛信號。（根據《中醫藥條例》（第 549 章），針灸可由根據《輔助醫療業條例》（第 359 章）註冊的物理治療師進行。）

改善不當抬重姿勢症狀的運動

骨盆傾斜運動：仰臥，膝蓋彎曲，雙腳平放在地上。收緊腹部肌肉，將背部平放在地板上。保持五秒鐘然後鬆開。重複十次。
橋接練習：仰臥，膝蓋彎曲，雙腳平放在地上。將臀部抬離地面，直到膝蓋、臀部和肩膀在一條直線上。保持五秒鐘然後鬆開。重複十次。
手腿抬高：雙手和膝蓋著地。將右臂和左腿抬離地面，直到它們與地面平行。保持五秒鐘並降低。重複左臂和右腿。每側重複十次。
貓牛式伸展：雙手和膝蓋著地。向天花板拱起背部，然後向地面放低背部，抬起頭。重複十次。
髖屈肌伸展：右膝跪地，左腳在身前。身體前傾，伸展右髖屈肌。保持 30 秒，然後換邊。每邊重複兩次。

這些練習旨在加強背部肌肉並提高柔韌性。它們可以定期進行，以防止在工作場所出現不良的提重姿勢，並降低出現背痛的風險。

正確的抬重姿勢

正確的舉重姿勢包括幾個保護背部和防止受傷的關鍵步驟。以下是要遵循的基本步驟：

計劃你的舉重：在舉起任何東西之前，想想物體的重量、大小和形狀。確保路徑暢通無阻。
就位：盡可能靠近物體站立，雙腳分開與肩同寬。保持膝蓋稍微彎曲，背部挺直。
使用腿部：彎曲膝蓋，而不是腰部，抬起時保持背部挺直。使用腿部的肌肉來抬起物體，而不是背部。
保持重物靠近：舉起物體時將其靠近身體。這將有助於減輕背部的壓力。
避免扭動：搬運物體時，避免扭動背部。相反，轉動你的腳來轉動和改變方向。
降低負載：要放下物體，請使用與抬起它相同的技術。彎曲膝蓋並在將其降低到地面時保持背部挺直。

遵循這些步驟將幫助您保持正確的舉重姿勢並降低受傷風險。請記住始終傾聽您的身體，避免舉起太重或笨拙而無法安全搬運的物體。

結論

工作場所錯誤的舉重姿勢會導致各種肌肉骨骼損傷，尤其是背部。這些傷害的最常見原因是舉重物不當或姿勢不當。醫療保健和社會援助行業（包括理療診所）的員工患肌肉骨骼疾病的風險更高。不良舉重姿勢的風險因素包括重複性舉重任務、身體素質差、缺乏正確的舉重技巧訓練以及吸煙。骨盆傾斜、橋接、四足手臂和腿部抬高、貓牛式伸展和髖屈肌伸展等運動有助於加強背部肌肉並提高柔韌性，從而降低出現背痛的風險。通過遵循正確的舉重技巧並定期進行這些練習，工人可以防止工作場所出現不良的舉重姿勢，並降低患肌肉骨骼疾病的風險。

Office lifting postures that cause injuries – do you know them?

Introduction

Lifting heavy objects is a common task in many workplaces. Unfortunately, improper lifting techniques can lead to various musculoskeletal injuries, especially to the back. The most common cause of these injuries is bad lifting posture. In this article, we will discuss the epidemiology of bad lifting posture in the workplace, risk factors, detailed anatomy, classification, common signs and symptoms, and 5 different exercises to improve symptoms.

Epidemiology

According to a study, musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of work-related disability in Asia. The study found that in Hong Kong, the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among employees is around 12.4%, which is lower than the average prevalence in Asia (15.6%). However, the study also found that workers in the healthcare and social assistance industry, which includes physiotherapy clinics, are at a higher risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (Choi et al., 2019).

Another study published in the International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics reported that lifting heavy loads is a common cause of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Asian countries, including Hong Kong (Kim et al., 2018). The study found that workers who frequently lift heavy objects are at a higher risk of developing back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders.

Risk factors

Several risk factors increase the likelihood of developing bad lifting posture in the workplace. These include:

Lifting heavy objects regularly
Repetitive lifting tasks
Awkward postures
Poor physical fitness
Lack of proper training on lifting techniques
Obesity
Smoking

Anatomy

The human back is a complex structure that consists of bones, muscles, ligaments, and nerves. The backbone or the vertebral column is made up of 33 individual vertebrae that are separated by intervertebral discs. The back muscles are divided into three groups: superficial, intermediate, and deep. The superficial muscles include the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, and erector spinae. The intermediate muscles include the serratus posterior superior and inferior, while the deep muscles include the multifidus, rotatores, and interspinales. The back ligaments hold the vertebrae together, while the nerves in the back provide sensation and control to the muscles.

Classification

Bad lifting posture in the workplace can be classified into three categories: acute, subacute, and chronic. Acute back pain is a sudden onset of pain, usually caused by a traumatic event or lifting a heavy object improperly. Subacute back pain is a pain that lasts between 4-12 weeks, while chronic back pain lasts for more than 12 weeks.

Common signs and symptoms

The common signs and symptoms of bad lifting posture in the workplace include:

Pain in the lower back
Stiffness in the back
Muscle spasms
Limited mobility
Tingling or numbness in the legs
Weakness in the legs
Difficulty standing or walking

Exercises to improve symptoms

Pelvic tilt exercise: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Tighten your abdominal muscles and flatten your back against the floor. Hold for five seconds and release. Repeat ten times.
Bridging exercise: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips, and shoulders are in a straight line. Hold for five seconds and release. Repeat ten times.
Quadruped arm and leg raise: Get down on your hands and knees. Lift your right arm and left leg off the ground until they are parallel to the floor. Hold for five seconds and lower. Repeat with the left arm and right leg. Do ten repetitions on each side.
Cat-cow stretch: Get down on your hands and knees. Arch your back up towards the ceiling, and then lower your back towards the ground, lifting your head up. Repeat ten times.
Hip flexor stretch: Kneel on your right knee with your left foot in front of you. Lean forward, stretching your right hip flexor. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides. Repeat two times on each side.

These exercises are designed to strengthen the back muscles and improve flexibility. They can be performed regularly to prevent bad lifting posture in the workplace and reduce the risk of developing back pain.

Correct Lifting Posture

The correct lifting posture involves several key steps to protect your back and prevent injury. Here are the basic steps to follow:

Plan your lift: Before lifting anything, think about the weight, size, and shape of the object. Make sure the path is clear and free of obstacles.
Get into position: Stand as close to the object as possible with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your knees slightly bent and your back straight.
Use your legs: Bend at the knees, not at the waist, and keep your back straight as you lift. Use the muscles in your legs to lift the object, not your back.
Keep the load close: Hold the object close to your body as you lift it. This will help to reduce the strain on your back.
Avoid twisting: When carrying the object, avoid twisting your back. Instead, pivot your feet to turn and change direction.
Lower the load: To put the object down, use the same technique you used to lift it. Bend at the knees and keep your back straight as you lower it to the ground.

Following these steps will help you maintain the correct lifting posture and reduce the risk of injury. Remember to always listen to your body and avoid lifting objects that are too heavy or awkward to handle safely.

Conclusion

Bad lifting posture in the workplace can lead to various musculoskeletal injuries, especially to the back. The most common cause of these injuries is lifting heavy objects improperly or with awkward postures. Workers in the healthcare and social assistance industry, including physiotherapy clinics, are at a higher risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. Risk factors for bad lifting posture include repetitive lifting tasks, poor physical fitness, lack of proper training on lifting techniques, and smoking. Exercises like the pelvic tilt, bridging, quadruped arm and leg raise, cat-cow stretch, and hip flexor stretch can help strengthen the back muscles and improve flexibility, reducing the risk of developing back pain. By following proper lifting techniques and performing these exercises regularly, workers can prevent bad lifting posture in the workplace and reduce the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders.

References

Choi, S. D., et al. (2019). Musculoskeletal disorders in Korea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health, 61(4), 256-269.

Kim, H. J., et al. (2018). Prevalence and risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Korean hairdressers. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 65, 50-56.