Shanghai Hospitals

WHEN WORK HURTS

Occupational Hazards in the Office Environment
By Chris Aldred, Senior Physical Therapist at Sino United Health

Expatriate business executives in China are in a unique situation compared to those employees in Western Nations. Expatriate businesses face added pressure from shareholders abroad to turn a profit in a complicated and drastically unfamiliar work environment. Foreign headquarters often expect similar returns and speed of business as in their home countries, which is almost impossible to achieve in China. This leads to expatriate employees forcing themselves to work harder and longer, while also having to adapt quickly to unfamiliar business situations. Difficulty in communication and the longer working hours it takes to get things done take a toll on the body. The pressure from moving into a unique culture with its slew of daily challenges only adds to the likelihood of ones body becoming more prone to injury and illness.

In the modern world, pressure and strain can not just be seen in top level executives. Most workplace environments are detrimental to heath and more and more people are working in this sort of environment. ‘White collar worker’ is an attractive title for the e-generation looking for high social status, a great income and a comfortable working environment. However, there are many occupational health problems associated with this working class, mainly resulting from improper computer use, a sedentary lifestyle, and too much stress. These problems result in various physical and mental distresses, which significantly affect productivity, causing higher absenteeism and low efficiency. Especially in China, where this is a new trend, people are not aware of the dangers they face, nor of the free and easy solutions available to help them. Below are some ways to counter work-related stress and illness ... Read More

Integrative Medicine

Integrative Medicine refers to ongoing efforts to combine the best of conventional and evidence-based complementary therapies, as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), while emphasizing the importance of patient-doctor relationship and the necessity of patient participation in health promotion, disease prevention and medical management.

Integrative medicine views the patient as a whole, as people with minds and spirits as well as bodies, and includes these dimensions into diagnosis and treatment. This approach is demanding and needs the support of the practicing doctor and the patient.

Combining TCM, or other “alternative” therapies, with conventional western therapies, helps to take advantage of the strengths of each system and to offset their weaknesses. But what does it mean for the patient? As the range of healing approaches is wider, the possibility to get healed is higher!

The Chinese have a unique understanding... Read More

Shanghai Expat Healthy Living Articles