Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 18/98) - All activities put some strain on the body.

But whether people are carrying groceries or swivelling in their office chairs, occupational therapist Suzette Montreuil has tips on how people can conduct activities while putting as little strain on the body as possible.

For office workers, Montreuil advises they stretch their arms out level with their shoulders and rotate.

Everything a worker needs to reach without getting up should be within this reach, she says. "If they have to reach up for a heavy binder, they are better off to get up to get it."

Generally, a variety of postures is better for the body than sitting in a single position for long periods of time.

That may mean getting up from a task to stretch a bit or to alternate between different tasks.

Also, when performing tasks, Montreuil advises balancing the weight load as much as possible and to put stress through bigger points on a lever.

That means it is better for your body to carry grocery bags on your forearm than in your hands.

"Often what is thought of as efficient, as far as getting the work done, is really not that good for our bodies."

Montreuil says when people are working with their hands, holding objects at chest height is best for precision work, such as diamond polishing or needlepoint.

Working on crafts is better at elbow level while power work is better at waist level.

"What I usually see as an occupational therapist is repetitive strain of the hand, wrist and arm," she says. With this in mind, she advises reducing excessive stress on fingers when using the whole hand to grip is possible.

After getting up from her ergonomically-correct chair, Montreuil moves to a workbench in the Stanton Regional Hospital occupational therapy unit.

"This hammer takes less strain because the handle is curved," she says holding a special hammer.

Then, while holding a more familiar straight-armed hammer, she notes how much more curved her grip is in her wrist and how that adds more strain.

Some other products she has are intended to help workers relieve stress on their joints.

A special glove, for example, is padded and adds strength to the wrist. She recommends it for mine workers who use vibrating drills.

The vibration can cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or "white hand," indicative of nerve damage.

Moving on to discuss feet, Montreuil stresses how ideal posture means the knees are bent at a 90-degree angle and they are at the same height or higher than the hips.