In this seminar, Associate Professor Genevieve Healy discusses research on how sitting and standing habits influence our health and wellbeing; and considers the best changes that desk based workers can make. 

Who is this seminar for?

This seminar is useful to PCBUs, WHS consultants, researchers and workers, with a particular focus on addressing excessive sedentary behaviour in the workplace. 

About the presenter

Associate Professor Genevieve Healy is the Principal Research Fellow at the School of Public Health at the University of Queensland.  She is a key researcher on BeUpstanding , a research project in which Safe Work Australia is a partner.

Associate Professor Healy’s work has influenced policy and guidelines regarding the importance of reducing prolonged sitting time. She works with multiple industry and partner organisations to translate her research into practice.

About Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common type of work-related injury in Australia, accounting for around half of all workers’ compensation claims. They also have a broader impact on individuals and society, with nearly 7 million Australians self-reporting an MSD in the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2017-18 National Health Survey (NHS). The costs of health care and compensation for MSDs, combined with the impacts of loss of income and early retirement pose a significant economic burden.

As Australian workers increasingly delay retirement for economic reasons, workers are exposed for longer periods to workplace hazards – physical and psychosocial – linked with work-related MSDs (WMSDs). WMSDs pose increasing risks as Australia’s population ages, especially for older workers who are more prone to other chronic health conditions. These factors point to the importance of introducing interventions for WMSDs.