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Taller Ergonomics And The NBA
Through much of the 1990s, ergonomics was a major
concern of companies employing people of all heights. Much of the
concern was directed at computer users, but all workers and especially
taller ones can be adversely affected by poor workplace ergonomics.
Health effects of poor ergonomics
The adverse effects of poor ergonomics can appear as a variety of
conditions but are generally called musculoskeletal disorders and
they are an important health problem. Their far-reaching impact
results in lost work time for about a million people each year.
Of course many more people soldier on with pain or discomfort and
show up to work even though it might be making their conditions
worse.
Workplace relations affected too
Musculoskeletal disorders include conditions like lower back pain,
RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury), tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
The connection of these problems to workplace activities -from carrying
boxes to lifting patients to pounding computer keyboards- is the
subject of major disagreements among workers, employers, advocacy
groups, and researchers.
The hidden costs revealed
According to a
government study on the issue, musculoskeletal disorders create
an economic burden estimated to be about $50 BILLION annually in
compensation costs, lost wages and lost productivity.
Science and the effects of time
A basic examination of physics illustrates the increased pressure
on joints in longer limbs. Greater rotational inertia means longer
legs can cover more distance with a slower gait, but it also means
that more leverage is required when lifting, pushing or moving.
Just lifting a phone to a tall person's ear means the object has
more space to travel through and over time, the additional efforts
begin to take a toll on the body.
Strategy for prevention required
Because musculoskeletal disorders are often the effect of accumulated
behavior and most of the disorders are preventable, many companies
have instigated ergonomic strategies for millions of American workers.
The NBA's ignorant attitude
As the world's largest employer of exceptionally tall people, the
National Basketball Association (NBA) should be more acutely aware
of the physical needs of taller people. The NBA apparently knows
absolutely nothing about ergonomics as evidenced by this image sent
in by a Height Site visitor.
It illustrates how far we'll have to go to raise
awareness about tall issues. The picture shows the top picks in
the NBA Draft of 2002. As you can see, the seated players look terribly
uncomfortable sitting on chairs that are plainly too small for them.
With so many tall employees contributing to their bottom line, one would think that the NBA would
be at the forefront of taller ergonomic issues. This seems especially important
considering the fact that these men are living off of the abilities
of their taller bodies.
The players are young and don't notice
Added stress and pressure on longer limbs and joints weakens them
as the years go by. Many of the NBA's tallest employees are still
quite young and the accumulated effect may take years to notice.
One has to wonder though how many injuries could be prevented in
the NBA if they would just make furniture that could accommodate
larger bodies. Of course, some will make the argument that the NBA
overcompensates these young men to get the most out of their tall
bodies and with their salaries they shouldn't complain about their
unsafe working conditions.
What do YOU think?
Do you think a non-ergonomic work environment constitutes an unsafe
working condition? Has your employer made an effort to accommodate
your taller body? send us an e-mail
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 QB is 6ft11 and serves as The Height Site's Webmaster. This article
was developed with material submitted by someone just like
you.
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The comments below were sent in by Height Site
visitors in response to the article above.
"I never really thought much about it but now
that I've read your article, I've noticed that the benches and chairs
at most games are too small for these guys too."
~RJ, 5ft11 in Ohio
"I'm glad my office got me a bigger chair,
but the pro bballer salary would be a nice exchange!"
~magpie714, 6ft7
"My company has done something to address this issue. We have a new chair being released in 2007. It is a portable, adjustable height folding chair for people over six feet tall." The LaunchPad™ chair is being used by the LA Lakers.
~
Lee Alderman, President Daystar Manufacturing - makers of the Launch Pad Chair
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