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News Releases
Working Smarter Pays Off for People with Arthritis
Columbia, Mo. (May 9, 2007) - Whether you work in a factory or behind a desk, it is important to understand how arthritis affects your work and how your work affects your arthritis.
A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 1 in 20 Americans report a work related limitation due to arthritis. In fact, one of every three Americans has arthritis and two-thirds of them are younger than 65. Work limitations are more prevalent in women, older workers, non-Hispanic blacks, and those with lower education and income.
If arthritis is impacting your work, it might be time to re-evaluate your daily tasks and seek a fresh perspective on your job. Diana Baldwin, occupational therapist at the University of Missouri-Columbia and researcher for the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center says you could decrease the effects of arthritis by changing your work behaviors, workflow, or workstation.
According to Baldwin, common work place problems that put additional strain, stress or pressure on joints include:
- Sitting or standing for long periods of time
- Moving in awkward postures
- Twisting and leaning to perform a task
- Holding the body in a stationary position
- Twisting the back to reach an object
- Severely bending the knees when sitting
- Overreaching to use the telephone or grab a file
Although these activities can lead to pain and injury, Baldwin says there are a few simple things to consider about your daily work zone, including:
- Your work zone. Daily tasks should not be above the shoulders or below the waist. Keeping tasks within the work zone will decrease the amount of bending and reaching you have to do.
- Frequent, hourly tasks. Daily activities performed hourly should be placed within a semicircular distance of the forearms.
- Less frequent, daily tasks. Activities performed less frequently should be placed within a semicircular distance of the arms.
- Change your habits. Learn to turn the body and bend from the hips. Also, sit in a supported position. Taking 2 to 3 minute stretching breaks every half hour will decrease stress to the body and the cumulative effects of repetitive tasks.
Baldwin and her colleagues are recruiting volunteers for a work intervention study to decrease the negative effects of arthritis in the work setting. Eligible volunteers should be working part- or full-time, be between 18 and 60 years of age, and have a medical diagnosis of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. For more information about this project of the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, call (877)882-6826 or visit http://www.marrtc.org/recruitment/index.html.
The Missouri Arthritis Research Rehabilitation and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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