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PT Why Ergonomic Devices are Becoming Must-Have
7 april 2025
Within healthcare, the shift towards investing in ergonomic devices is becoming not simply a luxury but a necessity. The weight of patients is steadily increasing, and our bodies aren’t naturally equipped to handle these heavier loads without proper assistance. Ergo-coach Martine Dekerf explains the urgency of this issue based on her own experience and highlights the repercussions of not using ergonomic tools.
Consequences for healthcare workers
As patients become heavier, lifting them manually without appropriate tools will lead to significant strain on the back, neck, and shoulders of healthcare workers. This strain, if left unaddressed, often results in debilitating problems that force them to drop out of their roles. Given the difficulty of finding staff replacements, particularly in operating rooms or intensive care units, the burden falls on others to cover their shifts. Those people are bound to get strained as well, which leads them to drop out, creating a downward spiral of staff shortages and overburdened healthcare workers.
The head of the Operating Room at AZ West, Tine Gouwy, shares the story of Micha, a colleague who also experienced severe back pain while maneuvering a patient. One wrong movement or an instance of overexertion can lead to severe and persistent pain. This incident not only affected Micha’s immediate well-being but also necessitated medical intervention to get rid of ongoing discomfort. This paints a clear picture of the consequences when workers ignore their ergonomic needs.
Costs and repercussions for hospitals
Niko Hofkens, product manager at Ergotrics, points out the tangible costs and repercussions associated with healthcare professionals experiencing back pain. The financial burden on hospitals due to absences, replacements, and direct costs amounts to a substantial €6,000, emphasizing the urgency of investing in preventative measures.
Unfortunately, many healthcare workers have the concerning habit of downplaying the problem until they feel physical discomfort. By this stage, damage may already be done, necessitating medication or even surgery. The crucial message emerges: prevention is undeniably superior to cure.
Sources:
- “Guide to the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders at work.”
Gids voor de preventie van musculoskeletale aandoeningen op het werk. FOD werkgelegenheid,
Arbeid en Sociaal overleg.
https://werk.belgie.be/sites/default/files/nl/modules_pages/publicaties/document/prevdos_prevr
ug/gidsmsawerk.pdf
Ergotrics
Ergotrics is a Med-Tech company specialized in positioning and moving patients with compressed air. We design and produce inflatable medical devices, which allow optimal positioning of patients in hospitals. We design our products with special attention given to ease of use and hygiene. By using compressed air instead of manual force, we want to provide better support for patients without ergonomic burden for the healthcare worker.
