Workplace Wellness
for the performing arts

Performers Injury
Assessment




The Workplace Wellness vision:

We want to reduce the number of performance related pain syndrome sufferers worldwide. 

This will be achieved, at least in part, through this  innovative  anonymised online diagnostic and ergonomic assessment process.

Firstly, it enables colleges and theatre companies to quantify and qualify the physical state of their performance.

Secondly, it provides specific observations and conclusions to give positive advice to department heads and their performers about the prevention and cure of their individual problems. In addition there is advice on setting up a health action plan.

Performers health: the role of the institution.

There are three main priorities:

1. The welfare of your performers.

2. The minimising of your legal position by listening to performers problems and reacting positively to their concerns.

3. Objective assessment of individual performers symptoms and work practices.


Implementing our system for your institution will add greatly to your ability to change things for the better..

Department heads and student counsellors

Issue awareness:

Effectively dealing with ill health and absences needs sensitivity to the circumstances of that particular person. Being aware of legal obligations whilst obtaining as complete an understanding of the physical and mental state in which the person is working obviously has many positive effects. This is most important when a person may already have or may have recently developed a health concern or problem.


Situation management:

Responsibility for managing ill-health issues ultimately rests with the head of your institution. However, department heads have direct responsibility and must issue general guidance from time to time to reflect current legal requirements. Our report can form part of your guidance.


Identifying problems:

Managing sickness absences and performance injuries often requires a pro-active approach if long-term problems are to be avoided. Therefore it is vital that there is disclosure with a member of staff about whether the cause may be performance related and what measures could bring about an solution. You can simply request them to be assessed by our system and you will be able to make an more informed judgement.

Early action is key, a stitch in time saves nine.


Performance problems are usually related to musculo-skeletal usage

The key 'killer' of performance is the many different types of repetitive strain injuries involving the upper limb, spine, legs, tendons and joints.

A quote from the creator of Workplacewellness.London: Paul Manley:
"This area is no mystery to me, I have been diagnosing and treating these problems successfully for over 40 years in my Central London clinic.

I devised this online process based on my experience and my observations of these types of problems.
I found that they fell into various categories which are inevitably related to use or misuse whilst engaged in repetitive tasks. These categories are defined anatomically as 'zones' and are illustrated in the case history as pain maps with which you can indicate the severity of pain and discomfort."

So, if a person is having 'troubles' or even wishes to prevent problems from occurring or getting worse you can now give them a Workplace Wellness assessment.



What you do with the results?

Global statistics:

Your Drilldown page takes all of the data from each performers' anonymised submission and turns it into frequency as defined by severity and position of the pain pattern. From this you can see the overall picture of sufferers and their pain patterns.

For example, a pain pattern may be in the top right forearm. This may co-exist with tension headaches on the same side. You will be able to see these patterns for yourself.

The Drilldown also takes you to each individual persons anonymised report. From this level you can see their particular pain pattern plus their history, ergonomic factors and stress levels.

The report contains specific observations by your performers with regard to management style, bullying and the quality of personal interactions with tutors, choreographers and management. 

All very well but how do you make use of this reporting system?

First of all you can consider it to be an adjunct to your existing health monitoring scheme. This normally includes physical trainers, Alexander technique, on-site massage and ergonomic assessments as well as postural awareness and usage of their instrument.

Secondly, the reports will enable all of the professionals involved in your health monitoring scheme to see much more clearly each persons problem areas. All they need is the username of the performer to see their reports. Names and email addresses of performers are not stored by our system. Therefore complete anonymity is ensured.

Third, you can make much more informed decisions about sick time, loss of performance standards and stress factors. You will be armed with much more data than would be provided by any existing health-monitoring scheme.

How does the performer benefit?

Each performer will benefit greatly by virtue of the process itself. It is very specific. This increases the performers' awareness of the areas involved. Most symptom patterns can be treated adequately by massage and stretching when they are due to tension patterns and the reports will show any health practitioner, choroegrapher precisely where to focus their efforts.

They also benefit by 'venting their spleen' in the knowledge that their feedback will be seen, noted and most importantly, completely anonymous unless they choose otherwise.

The performer can also see that their institution cares about them as well as their profit margin.