The call of duty makes teachers, traffic cops, surgeons, and security guards stand for hours together, which sooner or later leads to orthopaedic issues due to the long term stress on joints and bones.
In what is termed as “occupational hazard”, rules prevalent in private schools require the teachers to stand during teaching sessions up to 2 hours at a stretch. Similarly, a surgeon has to stand for 7-8 hours in a day during surgeries, a traffic cop has to direct the traffic standing for 8 hours, while security guards stand on duty for hours.
Dr Arvind Aggarwal, senior consultant, internal medicine, Shri Balaji Action Medical Institute, said, teachers often complain about pain in joints. Very often swelling is found in the veins. Sometimes, they also complain of cervical problem as they bend while checking notebooks. It is a postural problem.
The doctors advise that teachers should wear flat-footwear while teaching and should take Vitamin D regularly.
Dr Rajeev K. Sharma, senior orthopaedic consultant and joint replacement surgeon at Apollo Hospitals said that about 20 patients visit him every month with symptoms such as stress fracture, back pain, neck pain, heel pain and leg bone fracture. The situation is worsened when people keep their routine going without realising the slow harm to their bodies and later develop serious orthopaedic problems.
“They do not realise when they suffer a stress fracture. One can even have herniated disk or hip fracture without even realising when it suddenly hits,” said the doctor.
According to doctors, stress fracture is common among police and defence personnel.
The doctors recommend Calcium and Vitamin D supplements besides taking short breaks and not standing at a stretch.