This article was originally emailed as our monthly eBulletin at 11:30 on 08/03/2017. You can view older eBulletins here and register to receive them monthly.
LIES, DAMNED LIES & STATISTICS:
The expression popularised by Mark Twain (and found elsewhere in publications dating back to the late nineteenth century) is as relevant today as it ever was. Since the start of the year, I have learned that ‘post-truth’ was the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2016, the ‘10,000 steps a day’ mantra has little or no research basis (and may actually be harmful for some people), diesel cars are an environmental disaster and *X% of #Twitter/Facebook users treat social media as their primary news source. I shall completely avoid any references to ‘fake news’ and the use of Twitter in politics! Focussing just on the world of ergonomics and human factors, it has been troubling me for some time that it is very hard to be ‘an informed individual’ in a world of sound bites, unsubstantiated ‘facts’, misrepresented or inadequate research and marketing gloss. The whole sit-stand debate is a classic example of this. Does this confusion bother you too? Have you found a way to filter the nonsense? Should I just get a life and move on? I shall be blogging about this in the near future and welcome any thoughts or observations.
* insert any number between 28% and 62% – # insert social media channel of your choice
PHYSIO FIRST ANNUAL CONFERENCE:
As we return to this event for the first time in a few years, we have been thinking about what services we can offer private practice physiotherapists, especially those who are unfamiliar with the Occupational Health demands of the workplace. We are therefore working on a series of workshops to provide a more contextual understanding of workplace musculo-skeletal issues and ways to support and improve the working conditions of those who suffer. If you are attending the conference, please come and talk to us on Stands 36 and 37.
A PLETHORA OF SIT-STAND ADAPTORS:
At least once a week, I receive notification from yet another Chinese manufacturer that they have introduced a new sit-stand adaptor. This usually prompts me to play ‘spot the clone’ in marketing literature and web sites! Amongst this array of (quite similar) choices, we still believe the Ergotron Workfit-T is the most elegant and stable option in most cases but products from the Far East are improving all the time and we now offer the Motus 1000 as a budget alternative. If a full sit-stand desk is not practical (due, perhaps, to bench furniture), these are certainly worth considering.
REFLECTIONS FROM STOCKHOLM:
If you have not already seen it, you can read my full report from the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair here. In a country where human factors are an integral contributor to product development, it is fascinating to observe how design and ergonomics merge. If you just want to look at the pictures, you can do that here. Frustratingly, the most exciting product I saw during my visit was a computer mouse that was not on display and I am unable to tell you about (yet)! Watch this space for full details in a few months’ time.
POSTURE GUIDANCE – OLDEST IN USE?
When we announced the 20th Anniversary of our Posture Guidance in the January eBulletin, we invited existing users to send samples of old editions. There have been many incarnations of this document and I am delighted to report that Amanda Jones of Lothian Occupational Health and Safety Services sent me a copy of the 2004 version! In those days, we were still using representations of CRT monitors and there were no mini-keyboards, laptops stands or sit-stand desk images. However, the underlying guidance remains unchanged after all this time.
Osmond Ergonomics 