Physio at Work: Encourage staff to take breaks

Date: 17th March 2008

Employers should encourage staff to take regular breaks, in order to combat repetitive strain injury (RSI), according to occupational health group Physio at Work.

Bronwyn Clifford, a chartered occupational therapist and director of Physio at Work, says employers should also encourage staff to move around during the day and engage in a number of different tasks.

"Alternate between writing, reading, going to do some photocopying or filing and going to meetings, so that they are not just sitting in front of a computer screen eight hours a day," she advises.

Ms Clifford explains that RSI can be caused by any "activity that requires prolonged maintenance, awkward or static postures, and high rates of repetition or exertion of force".

According to RSI Awareness, musculoskeletal disorders are a significant problem in the workplace, with injury costing industry £20 billion annually.

The Trades Union Congress has called for children to be taught keyboard skills from an early age, in order to prevent RSI in adulthood.