Shoulder MSDs are associated with postures that place heavy loads on its muscles and tendons. Since the arm provides a very long lever, holding even small loads in the hand with the arm held away from the body will quickly result in shoulder fatigue and discomfort, and place substantial stress on the tendons in the shoulder.
The shoulder joint is a “ball and socket” joint that allows multi-directional movement. It sacrifices stability for mobility and because of this it’s more susceptible to injury. Most job demands require that at least 90% of the work is done with the arms out in front of body.
This sustained posture can lead to muscle imbalances over time, with tightness developing in the front muscles and weakness in the back muscles of the shoulder. If we don’t know how to counteract these sustained forward arm postures to maintain good shoulder balance, impingement of the rotator cuff tendons can develop as a result.
Potential MSDs of the Shoulder
- rotator cuff tendonitis
- bicepital tenosynovitis
- frozen shoulder syndrome
Think Prevention!
Shoulder injuries can be prevented! There are a number of things we can do to decrease the risk of shoulder fatigue and discomfort for team members.
- Follow Ergonomic Design Principles
- Educate and Train Team Members
- Recognize and Report Early Signs of MSDs
1. Ergonomic Design Principles
Ergonomics is the science of fitting the work to the worker, making sure jobs and tasks are within the worker’s capabilities and limitations. It’s part of your company’s commitment to provide a safe workplace.
A systematic ergonomics improvement process reduces injury risk, improves work performance and efficiently builds a better end product. The company ergonomic improvement process should seek to correct excessive shoulder flexion and abduction motions whenever possible.
Ergonomic Design Principles for Shoulder Injury Prevention:
- Place items and parts between shoulders and waist height
- Avoid reaches above shoulder and reduce any excessive reaching
- Avoid greater than 45o shoulder flexion and abduction
2. Educate and Train Team Members
Poor work practices, a poor health profile and no recognition of early signs and symptoms by team members contribute to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Implement a comprehensive Workplace Athletics process to control risk factors related to individual team members and enhance human performance.
- A good pre-shift stretching program will help increase circulation and elasticity of the muscles and tendons.
- Team members should be educated regarding proper lifting techniques to reduce stress on neck and shoulder.
- Team members should also be trained and motivated to perform specific stretches to counteract tightness and compression in the neck and shoulders.
- Team members should be encouraged and motivated to adopt good health habits and keep their body fit for work.
3. Recognize and Report Early Signs of MSDs
At the first signs of excessive fatigue and discomfort, team members should be trained to recognize it and strongly encouraged to report it. When an early report is received, an on-location preventative health care professional should conduct a one-on-one early intervention consultation to identify the root causes and help the team member utilize injury prevention best practices.
