What is it about ?
Slightly more of us are sitting in front of a screen at work all day every day. This situation can be the cause of all kinds of complaints, usually due to poor posture, repetitive movements, an unsuitable work environment, lack of breaks and problems with vision and light.
What is their frequency?
A recent study shows that almost half of those surveyed who work on screen have experienced shoulder or neck problems in the past year. These complaints are found twice as often in women and more often in older colleagues.
How to recognize them?
Symptoms usually occur during labor and then go away. Most of the symptoms relate to ergonomics: ie. that the environment is not suitable for the person who has to do the work. For example, with a screen placed too high or too low, you have to constantly look up or down. An unsuitable position of the chair can make it necessary to remain in the same posture throughout the day.
Some movements can be repetitive, especially when working with a mouse. They can cause painful tendonitis in the wrist. An uncomfortable and unsupported position of the hand at wrist height, or a poorly adapted keyboard and mouse, can lead to increased muscle tension, especially in the neck, shoulders, arms and hands. It is expressed by pain in the neck and shoulders, and sometimes headaches in the back of the skull. Vision problems are also possible (blurred vision).
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will make a diagnosis based on the quite characteristic nature of the complaints. It is not necessary to carry out additional examinations, except sometimes an eye exam. Belgian law provides for a preventive examination by an occupational doctor for workers upon entering their duties and for periodic follow-up examinations, including an eye examination. In principle, it is the occupational physician who must identify complaints caused by the professional situation. The worker can always contact the occupational physician if he thinks he has symptoms related to his work.
What can you do ?
Find out about a good working posture and a favorable working environment (for example through the occupational physician) and take the necessary measures. A comfortable seat, possibly with armrests or a neck rest, is not a luxury. Adjust the height of the desk to your height. A desk at elbow height supports the weight of the arms. The top edge of the screen should be at eye level as much as possible; ideally the monitor is placed at arm’s length. Enough free space for the mouse prevents small movements of the wrist that could cause problems.
Try to organize the work in such a way that there is variation. Plan regular breaks and get moving. From the age of 40, glasses suitable for working on a screen can be useful. Adequate lighting is also important.
What can your doctor do?
It is not possible to make complaints go away with just medication. A short treatment with an anti-inflammatory, an ointment or a few sessions with the physiotherapist can temporarily relieve the symptoms. Your own doctor can get in touch with your company doctor. The latter may impose certain measures on the employer to adapt your work environment.
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