Monday, August 23, 2021

The Physical Work Paradox

Your work is physically demanding, so does that mean that you’re physically fit? Unfortunately not

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According to a growing body of research, work that is physically demanding can have a detrimental effect on your health. This is called the physical activity paradox: rather than contributing to physical fitness, hard, strenuous work can have the opposite effect.

Dr. Aviroop Diswas, an associate scientist with the Institute for Work & Health, has recently noted that physically demanding work should not be confused with exercise or resistance training.

“Physically demanding work involves prolonged standing, heavy lifting, and monotonous and awkward working postures, often performed for long periods, with insufficient recovery time or without sufficient warm up,” he says.

Various studies have found that very strenuous work can be linked to heart disease, an increased risk of diabetes, and even early death, especially if you have pre-existing conditions.

“Usually, you think that the more rigorous exercise you do, the lower your risk of cardiovascular events,” says Dr. Diswas. “But we’re seeing a net risk when leisure time physical activity is combined with strenuous physically demanding work.”

So what can workplaces do to protect their workers? Dr. Biswas recommends allowing and encouraging workers to do warmups before starting a physically strenuous job task and to take frequent breaks to give their bodies time to recover.

Source: iwh.on.ca

The Physical Work Paradox

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