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Many jobs come with health risks. Most problems arise from improper posture, repeating the same motions or simply sitting all day.
TEACHER
A teacher has to stand for hours every day, raising his arms to write on the board. He also spends hours at the desk doing paper work, preparing for lessons and marking. He frequently has to project his voice or raise it in the classroom. Repeated voice abuse leads to vocal nodules or polyps which are little bumps on the vocal cords. This affects the strength and quality of the voice which can become hoarse.
Proper voice techniques, for example voice projection to avoid straining the vocal cords, drinking plenty of water, avoiding excessive coffee, tea, gaseous drinks and acidic food can stave off this problem.
Teachers very often complain of neck and shoulder pain with headaches. They may also have back and knee pain.
They tend to have myofascial pain syndrome – trigger point pain caused by repetitive strain – and also fibromyalgia, a condition in which there are generalised muscle and joint aches. Fibromyalgia, in particular, is a more chronic condition than the normal aches felt by office workers. Other symptoms of this condition, which is brought on by stress, include sleep disturbances and headaches. Proper exercise, rest and relaxation to relieve fatigue and stress can help.
Teachers’ feet may also be stressed from standing up all day. So proper footwear should be worn and flexibility exercises for the calves and feet should be done, said Dr Roger Tian, an associate consultant sports physician at the Singapore Sports Medicine Centre in partnership with the Changi Sports Medicine Centre.
 SPORTSMAN
A sportsman may spend hours every day practising a particular sport and building up stamina and muscles by running, swimming and hitting the gym. He or she is in danger of overusing certain parts of the body when repeating the same motion over and over, said Dr Roger Tian.
Some examples are athletes who do endurance sports such as distance runners, swimmers and triathletes, like Spain’s Alejandro Valverde (left). Some athletes may also overtrain without having enough rest periods in between. Injury is also a common hazard especially in contact sports such as basketball and soccer, added Dr Tian. The sportsman should resist overtraining and correct any wrong techniques that cause injuries. He should have proper work-rest cycles and wear appropriate footwear.
Sportsmen tend to have acid-eroded teeth from consuming acidic sports drinks. This can cause teeth to become highly sensitive and, in severe cases, teeth may become small and short and need crowning. Sportsmen should alternate between water and sports drinks and use tooth mousse or toothpaste that can protect the teeth. This mousse or toothpaste can work to harden the tooth enamel and protect against acid.
MANUAL WORKER
 A manual worker spends at least one-third of the day bending and lifting heavy objects repeatedly. The workplace may have hazards that can lead to falls or injuries. The prolonged bending, carrying of heavy loads and improper carrying or lifting techniques can increase pressure on the intervertebral discs and joints of the spine.
This leads to backache or degenerative disc problems, said Dr Roger Tian. Other common wear and tear areas include the hands, wrists and knees.
Corneal abrasions or scratches can also occur, caused by airborne particles that strike the eye during drilling or hammering.
Taking safety precautions such as wearing protective gear, having the proper lifting techniques and improving the strength of the core muscles – such as spinal, abdominal, and buttock muscles – will help, said Dr Tian. Proper lifting techniques include keeping the back straight and the load close to the body. The manual worker should also have enough rest to recover from the daily mechanical stress.
Ref: V10 |