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India has lots of issues with roads and lots of people travel on them and suffer pain and injuries in the short to long term. Can an ergonomic car seat design help the people in India to avoid or reduce pain and injuries?

Below I've shared content from an article about this.

Based on a detailed analysis of information from peer-reviewed scientific journals and texts, automotive engineering reports, and the National Library of Medicine a series of requirements for the optimal car seat design have been developed. Ideally, the optimal car seat should have:

Adjustable seat back incline (100 degrees from horizontal is optimal)
Changeable seat bottom depth (from seat back to front edge)
Adjustable seat height
Adjustable seat bottom incline
Seat bottom cushion with firm (dense) foam
Adjustable lumbar support (horizontally and vertically adjustable)
Depth pulsating lumbar support to reduce static load
Adjustable bilateral arm rests
Adjustable seat back incline (100-degrees from horizontal is optimal
Adjustable head restraint with lordosis pad
Seat shock absorbers to dampen frequencies between 1- 20 Hz
Linear front-back seat travel to allow differently sized drivers to reach the pedals
Seat back damped to reduce rebounding of the torso in rear-end impacts

https://www.spineuniverse.com/wellness/ergonomics/driving-back-care

If you know any companies or shops which make or sell ergonomically designed car seats then please comment below or contact me.

I've met police and other govt. officers over the years and I think that if they can have ergonomically designed car seats then they can avoid or reduce pain and injuries and then they can do their work even better and also live a much better life.

Best,

Shakti Saran

Health and Fitness India Creator

See below a variety of selected videos and online resources for Wellness at Workplace

Ergonomics and good posture related exercises for Health and Fitness in India!

For health & fitness enthusiasts, professionals & businesses!

Get found easily using Health Fitness India site!

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Deadly Issues That No One Ever Told You About Sitting Read more

"Incentive programs are not wellness programs," said Dr. Ronald Goetzel, Director of Emory University's Institute for Health and Productivity Research and President and CEO of The Health Project. "That can be a component, when done smartly, of a comprehensive program, but if that's all your program is going to be, you're going to fail miserably, and people are going to be resentful," he explained. According to Goetzel -- who has studied worksite wellness programs at large corporations such as Dow Chemical and Johnson & Johnson, and is being funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study best practices in the field -- incentive programs can help get people excited about health and keep them on track, but ultimately people's habits will only change if they are given the resources to change them and if the workplace norms and environments change. 

Without the other pieces to facilitate behavior change -- healthy cafeterias, opportunities to exercise, flexible work hours, supportive leadership and middle managers, and health risk assessments and coaching -- incentive programs will only penalize, not change, those who are least healthy. Above information is from article link

9 Qualities Of Truly Confident People article link

Similar valuable articles are also shared on the Chief Marketing Officer India page https://www.facebook.com/cmoindia and on the Business on Google+ page https://plus.google.com/+Cmouniverse to help you make better decisions.

Workstation Setup Ergonomics

(From article link, more details in comments below after the post)

Article: Jet Lag disorder, prevention and other details

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/jet-lag/DS01085/DSECTION=prevention

Slide show: Office stretches

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stretching/WL00030

Video: Neck stretches for the workplace

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/neck-stretches/MM00708

Video: Forearm stretches for the workplace

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/forearm-stretches/MM00709

Video: Upper body stretches for the workplace

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shoulder-stretches/MM00710

Video: Seated stretches for the workplace

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lower-back-stretches/MM00711

Video: Standing stretches for the workplace

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lower-back-stretches/MM00712

I keep sharing in the comments below.

Best,

Shakti Saran

Knee Pain resources 

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003187.htm 

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/knee-pain/Pages/Introduction.aspx 

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/knee-pain 

I thought of sharing the above after this which I shared on my FB wall:

The world is amazing! At gym today, I asked if I could get 6 boiled eggs for 40 INR since they sell 4 for 30 INR and 2 for 20 INR. I was told no. I thought of not spending that much at gym when I can get one boiled egg for 5 INR outside even though getting them at gym would save 5 or so minutes of my time. I went to the egg vendor nearby my place where I hadn't been to for a while. While talking to the lady about her kids which I generally always do when I visit, I said that her new stationary shop (which is with her egg shop which is her older business) should help children do more reading and writing and which should help them. I had earlier given her the contact info of some NGOs where her children might get some help. I would find more for her since I think they hadn't worked out for her perhaps also due to distance and that she can't take her children to them on a regular basis. Then she mentioned about having a lot of knee pain. I told her to visit a doctor. She mentioned some doctor nearby who has worked out well for her and that she would go to him. I told her that if that doctor is a general doctor then go to the hospital nearby and that show to a specialist. I told her that it would cost 300 INR for a checkup. She responded that her doctor charges 150 INR. I told her that spending double in this case is much better. I wish that I saving some money but spending more time would help her keep her knees well for a longer time even if she'll spend more going to the hospital than to the other doctor where she was going to go. I also told her that I'll bring her knee exercises which of course she should consult the doctor before doing them.

Best,

Shakti

11th April 2014: Someone liked my this post in a group after some years on which I then commented: Thank You for liking PERSON after some years of I posting this! Yesterday I wasn't carrying enough money to go to vote because I thought that I would walk but then I saw autos at the stand and so thought of taking one. Moreover, I requested the driver to wait and if it wouldn't be a problem. The driver responded that I can pay later and that there's no issue in waiting and that all the auto drivers at the stand think nice of me. I then had again thought of doing more for the drivers which I would! (y)

I feel sorry for the auto drivers because I've told some of them that they should wear anti-pollution masks on which they've said that they think that the police wouldn't let them due to security issues. In this regard, I also suggest to Google "anti pollution india" and on 1st page is http://www.healthfitnessindia.com/profiles/blogs/anti-pollution-mask-delhi-metro-police

How do you feel as an Indian when you read it and think that how come people have led India to like this? Is this also why the aware and wealthy people seem to be moving their children abroad and also having their grandchildren abroad? How would India be like in the next decades when the people have become very weak considering human potential since this would weaken the people? What are you doing to make things better?

Jab maa aisi conditions mein bachcha paida kare to woh kaisi maa: "Researchers are beginning to suspect that India's unusual mix of polluted air, poor sanitation and contaminated water may make the country among the most dangerous in the world for lungs."

"Delhi has turned into a pollution zone so deadly that children in the Capital have the lungs of chain-smokers, and all the associated respiratory ailments."

The person had liked my post on https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=109501519202151&id=286595084704992&ref=notif&notif_t=like

5th September 2012: I felt like an Indian street dog considering the world when going through a market which sells including expensive things for common man, however, the area has much filth. I also met a person who goes to the same gym and that she was also there shortly before. I shared with her about my anti pollution mask which I was wearing and that I was trying to work to get the auto rickshaws fixed with water coolers to help drivers not get sick from potentially harmful water that they might get from outside and that to also help them save money and that I was learning from drivers that many support my idea if I can get something affordable and that it can be fixed well in the auto. 

Then she asked why I also don't do something for manual rickshaw drivers on which I told her that I'm first targeting one segment and that after that I'll work on manual rickshaw drivers to get them affordable footwear and to see if anything can be done to the rickshaws to make them better like how indoor bikes come in several qualities and that some things in them are critical for us to avoid short-term to long-term injury. Moreover, she and I had also done the spinning class today during which she had said to our trainer that I'm concerned for everyone when I had asked our trainer on her child! Also, a manual rickshaw driver nearby was attentively listening to me as she pointed to me which was nice and that I wish that I can also do much for them.

People keep blaming others including the government and the administration. I don't want to sound like an Indian street dog barking like when I keep clearing my throat due to pollution. I'm doing what I can and that not blaming others or asking for change in government or administration but trying my best to bring change in our society and environment by directly contributing to them. I think that we can contribute much even by making small changes at large scale. If you like then you're welcome to contribute with me to our world and that I'm trying to make www.healthfitnessindia.com a platform to connect, share and collaborate for the same. Best! Shakti

Health Issues faced by BPO Employees - Health Fitness India

From http://www.trikal.org/ictbm11/pdf/OB/D1241-done.pdf

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Some of the health issues faced by BPO employees are:

Tension

Sleeplessness

Headaches

Eye-strain

Repetitive strain injury (RSI)

Voice loss, hearing problems and burn-out.

· Sleeping Disorders

One major severe ailment afflicting people working in Indian call centers is the sleeping disorder. Not only the freshers, even the experienced managers are unable to escape it. Some call centers are looking at devising innovative mechanisms like flexible shifts with sleeping arrangements in the office premises.

· Digestive System Related Problems

Working long hours and odd hours without any sleep, and eating food supplied by external caterers every day, has led to employees suffering from digestive disorders. Especially for the large number of girls working in the industry, the problem is even more severe. Many call centers are now taking additional care to ensure their caterers supply hygienic food; besides stipulating strict conditions to maintain the quality of the food they serve.

· Depression

The gradual realization that there are limited scopes in developing a career owing to fewer growth opportunities is increasing the frustration levels in the BPO industry. Coupled with growing mental fatigue and increasingly punishing physical environments, depression is the obvious end result. Some call centers have now devised different stress management programs mainly to counter depression.

· Eyesight Problems

Globally call center employees are considered a high risk group for eye related problems. While the quality of monitors might impact these disorders, sitting continually without adequate breaks seems to be the truerer reason. While this is already a problem in the IT industry, which some companies have overcome by use of anti-glare monitors.

· Hearing Ailments

A call center job invokes taking calls throughout the shift, sitting with headphones. While quality of headphones does make a difference, it would not be appropriate to say that good quality of headphones can solve this problem; it is more to do with giving rest between calls.

Cultural Shifts

Though on one side we learn to become as professional as western world executives some other disturbing issues are arising. One such serious issue is the personal habits that have undergone a considerable change.

The personal habits, discipline and behavioral issues and detachment with family have been discussed below.

· Personal Habits

The young executives tend to develop certain bad habits such as alcohol, smoking etc. It is not uncommon to find women smoking and drinking alcohol in the BPO setup which is definitely a social stigma in the Indian societies. There are increased concerns about the habits of the employees among the parents, who are not finding it easy to talk to them about their habits, which in no way are welcomed by the Indian families.

Solving such issues lies majorly in the hands of the employees and their employers. Employees can be made to attend counseling sessions of professional counselors. Conducting group counseling, workshops, educative film shows, in order to create awareness on effects of bad habits. Such actions will enable individuals to realize the importance of good habits and they could seek one-to-one counseling sessions.

· Discipline and Behavioral Issues

Call centers provide excellent working environment, free food and transportation. There is always a situation where individual or group of youngsters tend to commit mistakes and abuse the freedom. The most common behavior cited is misuse of food, behave erratically in vans, and smoke in public places, misuse of telephones and other resources of the company. The supervisors themselves reel under the pressure of performance and achieving targets. Hence do not give their time for finding solutions. The professional counselor can play a major role in educating the youngsters on discipline; provide advice to erring executives.

Unacceptable behaviors cause disturbance to others and affects the overall productivity. Continuous education and counseling will help to mitigate such problems and it is possible to change the behavior by adopting a positive approach.

· Detachment from the Family

Since the daytime is spent in sleep and recreational activities with friends. The employees are hardly able to give time for their families. Problems become more pronounced when they get married. Additional responsibilities of running a family demands more time and hence eventually people quit the industry. Most of the employees work on Indian holidays too, which causes frustration. Some employees even feel the need for inclusion in the family and the society. Hence it is important for family members to render support for their young sons and daughters and to help them with the stress that they are undergoing.

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Kindly note that minor health problems unchecked and not cared for can lead to major health problems. In this regard, all BPO employees should regularly visit doctors for general checkup and more as required.

I think that Genetics, Lifestyle and Environment determine a lot about how healthy and fit a life we would live. Research shows that the majority of people do not do the recommended levels of activity which has been putting people at a risk of a range of diseases. Activity has also been shown to reduce the chance of illnesses such as heart diseases, diabetes and some cancers. It can also help improve mental health. In this regard, I wish that the BPO employees do the best that they can to have the best health and fitness as possible while working in the BPO sector. I also wish that the Health and Fitness India network would be of value to them in this regard including towards uplifting the health and fitness of the masses.

I also think that the employers would do better with healthier and fitter employees and so the BPO employers should try to provide whatever that they can to their employees for their health and fitness.

Best,
Shakti

Read the Ergonomics and Exercise Article for Wellness of professionals at workplace (offices etc.)