How a DORN provider supports the Integrated Service Model toward employee empowerment.
Do you have something in your life that gives you great joy and a reason to live? Most of us do. But how about your work life? Is it just something to do to bring money home, or is it something you love? I hope you do find happiness in your work. I do.
There is nothing like the look of realization on my clients’ faces as they finish a session with me and realize that they have greater range of motion in their shoulder, or a large decrease in pain in a sore area of the body, and more mobility and freedom in movement. This is what energizes me and gives me joy in my life. This has kept me helping others as a skilled deep tissue therapist for over 30 years.
The reason I share this with you is that DORN’s Providers have made it their life’s mission to help people who are in pain, discomfort, or utilizing poor ergonomics, which translates into healthier, more productive workers while the organization saves thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of dollars in costs. Knowing what they do and how they can support your efforts in creating an injury-free work environment can help elevate the results of DORN’s services.
Every client is unique in their bodies and their needs, so each session is individualized for them. As I greet the client, I watch how they are moving, standing, sitting. Is a shoulder rounded, dropped, or higher than the other? Is the head forward? Are they standing with their knees locked? Is there a significant decrease in the range of motion in the shoulder joint?
I have them tell me about their area of concern. How long has it been bothering them? Do they know what caused the pain initially, or did it just gradually start to bother them? Have they ever had massage before? Deep tissue work? I explain that I will be using deep bodywork techniques to remove restrictions in the soft tissue, improving range of motion and releasing tightness in muscles and connective tissue. We also want to determine if the problem is a work-related issue, or a work-affected one. This gives you, the employer, key information that helps you follow up and address the issues within your normal protocols.
Recently, I have had a large group of clients with upper body tightness in the neck, upper back, and shoulders. Their shoulders are rounded forward from sitting improperly in front of computers for hours a day, and their heads are forward of the centerline of the body, causing tightness in the upper back and neck. From there, individual differences appear based on work and personal movement habits. A forearm hurts from using a mouse, an elbow hurts, the neck hurts.
I ask where their workstation is located so I can follow up at another time to observe them and make corrections in their ergonomic setups and in their body mechanics at their desks. I coach other applicable body mechanics techniques that will assist in better body movement. I explain the benefit of the changes suggested and assist in motivating them to make the changes. Why? Because little changes made in how you use your body all day long add up to less fatigue, discomfort, and pain at the end of the day, the week, and the month. In addition, the organization can look at our award-winning software, Healthy Working, which provides additional support via self-assessment and self-correction, including on issues related to mobility.
Over the course of four to five weeks, I watch their bodies change. Their heads are now over their centerline, their shoulders are no longer rounded, and they are standing taller. Their pain and discomfort have either greatly diminished or disappeared. Attitude and morale are improved because they are no longer in pain. Plus, through utilizing the other tools, they are now motivated to continue the changes made in body mechanics to help keep their bodies pain-free. Your employees have now been empowered to take full ownership of their own healthcare and safety, which can transform an entire organization’s culture.
This is what puts a smile on my face. And this is what we look for in our Providers: the love of the work we do in helping others feel better and pain-free.
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About the Author
Kate DeMoss
Clinical Lead & Western Region Training/Ergonomic Specialist at DORN CompaniesKate has been with DORN for over ten years filling various roles. Her 30 plus years of experience in the therapy field and her years of training in and teaching martial arts give her a comprehensive understanding of body movement and musculoskeletal disorders.
