Acıbadem Kozyatağı Hospital Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Mehmet Uğur Özbaydar made effective suggestions and warnings against muscle and joint pain, which is the most common complaint after the pandemic.
Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Mehmet Uğur Özbaydar stated that musculoskeletal diseases have become very common in our country and in the world in recent years, especially in desk workers, saying that posture disorders in front of the computer for a long time, the suspension of sports activities, the restriction of movement to a large extent, excessive stress and on top of that, weight gain. In the report published by the Great Britain Occupational Safety and Employee Health Board (HSE) in 2022; In 2021-22, 477 employees were reported to have work-related musculoskeletal (CIS) diseases. Of these patients, 42 percent had low back involvement, 37 percent had upper extremity (hand, wrist, elbow and finger bones, etc.) and 21 percent had lower extremity (thigh, knee, leg, ankle bones, etc.) involvement. In the report, it was stated that the main factors leading to the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal diseases are working with the keyboard in an inappropriate position or repetitive strain. Musculoskeletal diseases are still on the rise. Of the 477 employees with work-related musculoskeletal diseases, 72 thousand reported that their complaints were caused or worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He warned that people who still do not start regular exercises, do not regulate their working environment, do not regulate their posture in front of the computer, and lead a sedentary life away from sports and physical activity, face serious risks in terms of their health. Dr. Mehmet Uğur Özbaydar continued as follows:
“The inability to provide a suitable working environment in recent years has made postural disorders widespread. In many people; We face the problem of flattening in the neck, back pain and fibromyalgia, tendinitis (inflammation) in the shoulder, elbow and hand, nerve compression in the hand and wrist, low back pain and disc diseases, pain due to wear on the cartilage in the knees. It is not possible to protect our musculoskeletal system without reorganizing our daily lifestyle and adding sports, regular and brisk walking to our routine habits. The treatment of these diseases, which have become widespread during the Covid 19 pandemic process, may become much more difficult in the future.”
Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Mehmet Uğur Özbaydar, however, said that it is necessary to be very careful when returning to sports activities, that starting sports activities at a faster and intense pace than necessary may cause harm instead of benefit, and result in muscle-tendon injuries.
Emphasizing that some precautions must be taken in order for the musculoskeletal system to be healthy in both adults and children, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Uğur Özbaydar listed these rules as follows:
- The height of the computer monitor should be at eye level,
- Your chair should support your back,
- Forearms, thighs and feet should be parallel to the floor, if necessary, support should be placed under the feet,
- Knees should be bent less than 90 degrees,
- It should not be forgotten to take frequent and short breaks while working,
- You should definitely exercise regularly.
- Exercise should not force the body excessively, should not be rushed while increasing the intensity of exercise,
- You should be at an ideal weight,
- Return to social life by taking necessary protection measures against various infections,
- Time should be taken to rest the body,
- You should eat healthily, consult a doctor, supplement for possible vitamin deficiencies, avoid sugary and carbohydrate foods and carbonated and sugary drinks that may cause inflammation in bones and joints, and pay attention to drinking enough water in winter,
A physician should be consulted without neglecting a possible complaint regarding the musculoskeletal system.
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