Hours at the slit lamp, leaning into charts, and staring at screens can take a real toll over the years. A recent Helio article quotes Robert Swan, MD, of SUNY Upstate Medical University: “The vast majority of residents walk out of there sort of with this mysticism about them that ergonomics matters to other people, but not me. I’m going to be fine.”
He goes on to say that at least half of those residents will have musculoskeletal productivity loss at some point in their career. Swan was speaking to an audience of ophthalmologists at the time, but the same warning holds true for optometrists. Long hours in static positions put similar stress on your body.
A survey of ECPs found the lower back, neck, and hand/wrist to be the top problem areas. Here are a few simple stretches to help. Why not do them right now?
Neck Retraction aka Chin Tuck
Sit upright in your chair.
Place two fingers on your chin.
Slowly glide your head backward, tucking in your chin until you feel a gentle stretch at the back of your neck.
Keep your head level and use your fingers to keep your chin tucked. Hold for 3 – 5 seconds.
Repeat 10 times.
Shoulder Roll
Sit upright with your shoulders relaxed.
Roll your shoulders up, back, and down in a smooth circular motion.
Keep the movement slow and controlled, avoiding any jerking.
Repeat 10 times in one direction, then 10 times in the other.
Seated Lumbar Twist
Sit tall, cross one leg over the other, and gently twist toward the crossed leg.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds on each side.
Finger-Point Stretch
Extend your left hand in front of you, palm facing out and fingers pointing downward.
With your right hand pull the fingers gently toward your body, stretching the forearm.
Repeat on the other side.
It’s easy to forget about stretching in the middle of a busy clinic day. Try pairing these with something you already routinely do between patients — like sanitizing your hands — so they start to become second nature.
