Ergonomics and Body Posture

According to a study by Universidade Católica de Lisboa dating from 2011, 7 in every 10 members of the Portuguese population suffers from back pain and this is the second most common reason for anyone to see a doctor. The same study shows that over 730 million euros are spent with absenteeism and early retirement related to back pain, not including costs with treatments, exams or doctor’s appointments. At the workplace, back pain causes not only absenteeism but also presenteeism, as workers do go to work but are unable to perform at their best or produce as much as they should.

Training on ergonomics and body posture   gives the workers from different departments – and taking into account the kind of work that each one is involved in – the information and the tools they need to prevent and minimize back pain, and others, that may influence their performance, namely:

– Causes for incorrect posture;

– Body size and bodily posture;

– Effects of stress and emotional tension;

– Behavioral habits;

– Adaptation of occupational environments;

– Organization of work material;

– Advice on the use of the computer and mouse;

– Joint protection and energy conservation rules;

– How to transport and manage weights;

– Work exercise plan.