Mayo Clinic weight loss study

A Mayo Clinic study found that people who were paid to lose weight or suffered a penalty for not losing weight were more successful than a control group without monetary incentive.  Participants in the intervention group were either paid $20 if they lost 4 pounds over the course of a month or had to pay $20 to a pool if they did not lose 4 pounds per month.  If they stayed in the program for the duration of the study they had a random chance to get the pool of money.   The participants were followed for 12 to 36 weeks.

The average weight loss for the incentive group was 9.08 pounds as compared to 2.34 pounds for the control group.

This makes sense as the task of weight loss is similar to the task of manual labor.  Incentives work to increase production when manual labor is involved but do not work when high levels of creativity are needed as noted in the book Drive by Daniel H. Pink. 

Click the highlighted text to access the Mayo clinic online Healthy Weight Pyramid tool.  You are required to input your age, height, current weigh and gender.  The tool will produce a daily goal for total caloric consumption if you wish to lose weight and tips on how to achieve it.   My target caloric consumption was 1,400. 

Touch screen ergonomics moving while working

Sit better

Cynthia Roe Purvis, former ergonomist in HP, has offered a free streaming webinar on touchscreen ergonomics.  You need to register for the talk.  The introductions end around 7 minutes into the presentation.  She offers the research behind the HP users guide.

Highlights 30 - 60% of people working with computers have neck and should problems.  Need to have text at least 3mm high.  This prevents turtling.

http://www.thefeelgoodlifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/incorrect-sitting-posture.jpg

Touch screens are much lower and much closer than standard computer monitors at about the distance of the knee from the body while sitting.   The angle range must be adjustable from 20 degrees to 60 degrees.  The touch screen may be below the desk.

Scan your body for discomfort.  Monitor placement.   Move monitor through out the day.  Scan body for tension and adjust workstation and position to relieve the discomfort.  The display should be designed without speakers or other hardware under the display.

Move better

Work better

Jim Lavine at Mayo Clinic answers the question: What are the risks of sitting too much?

Excerpt:

One recent study compared adults who spent less than two hours a day in front of the TV or other screen-based entertainment with those who logged more than four hours a day of recreational screen time. Those with greater screen time had:

• A nearly 50 percent increased risk of death from any cause
• About a 125 percent increased risk of events associated with cardiovascular disease, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack

Lenovo's Table top Tablet

Lenovo has developed a 27" table top tablet weighing 15 pounds.  The size is equivalent to eight iPads placed together.  It runs on Windows 8 Software.  Peter Svensson from AP reports that 4 people can use the screen at once.

http://www.techspot.com/news/51244-lenovo-27-inch-ideacentre-table-pc-yoga-11s-laptop-thinkpad-helix-convertible.html

The ergonomics of this coffee table top PC are problematic.  I can see it causing significant problems with shoulder or lower back discomfort.  It would be difficult to get the surface on a small enough table at the right height to allow someone to manipulate the screen without having to lean forward or fit 4 people comfortably around it.

After talking to an art instructor, the tablet could be an interesting larger canvas for digital painting or drawing if it would accept variously styled stylus tips.  If it was set up on an adjustable easel stand the ergonomics would be fine. 

Visually, it would be useful for comparing multiple documents or programs at the same time.  The air hockey simulation looks fun.  It could also be used as a message board in an alternative workplace environment or a collaborative tool at a meeting.

Aerobic exercise reduces arthritic symptoms

A literature review of exercise and arthritis by  Tatyana A. Shamilyan, from the U of Minnesota School of Public Health found that adherence to an aerobic exercise regime was a good predictor for reduced arthritic symptoms.  The emphasis for these patients is best focused on keeping up with the program rather than gradually increasing the intensity. 

For obvious reasons: low impact aerobic exercise such as swimming will work better than an exercise that stresses the joints.  From personal experience, incorporating a rheumatologist, a physical therapist and a chiropractor works well as a three pronged approach to reducing symptoms.  I received ultrasonic therapy and that also appeared to help as did an exercise regime combined with swimming.

http://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/patient-corner/disease-management/role-of-exercise-in-arthritis-management/
 

Susan Bartlettt, PhD from Johns Hopkins has an excellent resource page on the Role of Exercise in Arthritis Management.  She lists covers physiological and psychological benefits of exercise and offers tips on starting and maintaining an exercise program.



 

Seated yoga with Nancy with captions

Texting Thumb ergonomic issue

Dr Eon Shin an orthopedic surgeon from Jefferson University Hospital in Philadephia, PA notes that the increase use of thumbs for texting in cell phones frequently cause tendonitis.  The symptoms are tingling or numbness in the hand.

http://abbottcenter.com/bostonpaintherapy/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/thumb-muscles1-300x278.jpg

 

 

Vivienne F. from Performance Based Ergonomics has additional hints to reduce the problems with thumb texting tendinitis.  She recommends rotating fingers other than the thumbs.  Other hints include actually calling the person or using a voice to text option. 

Loosecubes office Enviroment

A video report on the Loosecubes office Environment on CNN.



http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t3#/video/us/2012/08/29/pkg-taylor-loosecubes.cnn

 This fall the company will began charging for this service.  People set up office in a location with WiFi.  They bring there own laptop.  It works like a shared business area.  The benefits are increased interactions with other people and a lower cost than renting a whole office complex.  The downside is a lack of privacy and reduced security.

Companies can sublease extra office space through Loosecubes.  Some of the location are even based outside.  The phots below are under the Manhattan bridge archway.
 

http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/and-now-%E2%80%98awesome%E2%80%99-outdoor-pop-office-space-dumbo

http://inhabitat.com/nyc/nycs-coolest-office-looscubes-lets-you-co-work-under-the-manhattan-bridge-for-free/

 

 

U of MN ergonomic video list

This is a compilation of stretching videos put together at the University of Minnesota Department of Environmental Health and Safety in cooperation with Disability Services and the U of MN Physical Therapy program.

 

Rapid stress relief to rest sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system 3 min

Stretches for the neck and shoulders 5 min.

Core stretch exercises - longer version 10 min.

Core stretch exercise short version 4 min.

Upper body stretches - 3 min.

Arm and Back exercises 7 min.

Brief hand exercises 1 min.

 

Full length seated yoga session - 25 minutes

New seated yoga with Nancy - 23 minutes

Not all calories are created equally?

CBS News reports that not all calories are created equally according to a recent article in JAMA.  Carbohydrates from refined processes such as sugar, chips, white rice or white bread make it more difficult to lose weight by lowering the metabolic rate.  Low fat foods are also problematic.   People trying to loose weight are advised not to go on a low fat diet but try a low glycemic diet with complex carbohydrates and good fats from yoghurt, nuts or eggs. This according to researcher Dr. David Ludwig of Boston Children's Hospital.

The findings from JAMA about differential weight loss were refuted by Dr. Jules Hirsh in an article by Sarah Berry.  He notes that a high fat low carbohydrate diet causes people to loose water.  This is the reason for rapid initial weight loss.

Both agree that moving more and consuming more veggies is part of a path to a healthier life.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57461579/study-not-all-calories-are-created-equal/?tag=re1.channel

http://www.shakeoffthesugar.net/low_glycemic_pyramid.htm

http://www.crossfithoboken.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Glycemic-Index-Food-Table-294x400.png

Hot desking and open concept design

The new vogue in office design revolves around a concept variously known as hot desking, hotel concept, activity-based working, workplace mobility, free-address approach and open concept design.  At Siemens it is referred to as New WOW (New Way of Working).  I have talked about this in an earlier post.

http://www.veldhoen.nl/data/fotos/alg/id1059/x72y0w751h367cw1076ch526_ft1059.jpg

The Whirlpool Industry forum has an extended discussion of the things needed to consider with a less structured work environment where offices may be shared. 

Potential positive benefits:

1. It will encourage employees to arrive earlier to pick the prime spots
2. It may encourage more communication with co-worker's because there is more shared space.
3. It can allow companies to devote less square footage for office space often designing for less than 100% capacity when people spend 80% time in the field. Siemen's is at 77% of full capacity.
4. It allows people to work in groups, alone or just dock a computer. There is a focus on we rather than me.
5. Personal items are stored in a locker. In some cases more than one locker is needed for a person
6. Works well for a 24 hour call center.
7. It will work well for consultants hired by the company to do a short term project.
8. There is a lower capital cost for new construction and furniture.  Energy savings are possible because there is a smaller footprint to maintain and condition the air.

Potential problem areas:

1. Hygiene:  The desks need to be kept clean - beverage spills, food crumbs, sharing viruses.
2. Chairs: Often these are specific to the person (tall vs short) and adjusted to fit them.  Changing the chair adjustment will cause issues.
3. People can be territorial and will often gravitate towards the same spot.  They may be upset if someone is in their "cube'.
4. Work surfaces: People are of different heights and shapes and need the work surfaces to fit them. The surfaces need to be adjustable. 
5. The space works best when laptops are used. The ergonomics of exclusive laptop use are not good for extended times. The screen is too low. Often an auxiliary mouse or keyboard is needed. Dual screen monitors are becoming the norm and serving as virtual document holders.  Docking stations would probably be needed if computer time is more than 2 hours per day.
6. People like to personalize their offices with family photos and other items.  This is not possible in a shared space.
7. Audio privacy is a concern when HIPAA or other confidential information is discussed over the phone or needs to be filtered on the screen. 
8. Meeting areas need to be separated from a wall from the hot desk areas as it it difficult to concentrate adjacent to a  meeting area.
9. Employees may feel that they are an interchangeable cog in the machine as people in more important positions will not  have to hot desk.
10. It can be difficult for an introvert to work in this environment.
11. Hot desk environments can be cliquey.
12. The hot desk environment may not be the most productive.  Peopleware authors DeMarco and Lister noted that people are most productive when they have a proper office with a door.  They are able to reduce distractions and concentrate on work.

I am very interested in other people's opinions about this topic as there is considerable pressure to move towards this model.  I think it can work in some applications and it may be very problematic in others.  The U of Minnesota is considering it as an option for the Eddy Hall remodeling project.