DSE Assessments: are they enough to beat desk-related MSK disorders?
HSE reported that in 2023/24 there were 7.8million sick days taken due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
This is HUGE. Especially when there are legal requirements in place, such as DSE assessments, which aim to reduce the risk of injuries at work.
Ok, we don’t know how many of these relate to desk jobs but it will be a significant number and when listing causes of MSK disorders, HSE listed the following as causes:
repetitive tasks, particularly using the same hand or arm action
carrying out a task for a long time
work with display screen equipment, such as PCs, laptops, tablets or smartphones
Which implies that desk-related work is included within this.
For Pilates At Your Desk, when talking to HR teams about PAYD I will ask how big a deal sick days because of MSK disorders is for them. It’s usually one of the biggest issues that impacts staff morale, productivity and cost efficiency.
This is the main driver for workplaces approaching me. To help foster a happier and healthier workplace by educating teams and individuals on how to avoid work-related work. This is a win-win: individuals feel better and the cost of sick days goes down.
They know that if people are educated in how to position their bodies at work and learn how to move (without ditching the desk) it has a massive impact on how their bodies feel. It gives individuals the ability to make the changes, in addition to focusing on adjusting the equipment.
A lot of workstation DSE assessments are online and much about how to position your gadgets. The training will get you to set them from the position you are in at that moment in time. It seems less common that training looks at how you interact with the gadgets themselves as a day goes on and it doesn’t look at your own postural quirks which could mean that even with the best desk set up, the aches still creep in.
Often, when carrying out postural assessments and in backcare workshops, what’s apparent is that a very small adjustment to how a person holds themselves, for example, can be the solution to what’s causing the issue. It’s amazing!
Learning to do the simple movements well and from a place of good alignment can be just the medicine a person needs so will no longer take time off because of that back injury, for example.
This is why my postural assessment days are so popular with the companies who have experienced them. They know it works.
Here’s what an HR Director I work with said about it all:
“It’s a no brainer once you’ve experienced PAYD. Investing in training and movement with you positively impacts health outcomes, reduces healthcare usage and therefore money on premiums at their renewals. Plus everyone is happier and pain-free!”
If MSK disorders are affecting your teams, get in touch here. I can help!