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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Work capability issues and ESA  →  Thread

Activity 4

Mairi
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Welfare rights officer - Dunedin Canmore Housing Association

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I feel like I must be missing something…...

I’ve got an upcoming appeal for someone who has damaged discs in his back and suffers pain from this which increases significantly when he has to move his back.  In the SSCS1 appeal form I said that although he feels he would be able to pick up an empty box from directly in front of him he would not be able to move this without moving his whole body because he can’t twist his torso due to the increase in pain and discomfort this would cause.

The decision maker has commented on this in the appeal papers stating that they fail to see the need to twist the torso when picking up and transferring a light but bulky object.

I can’t work out out how to do this without twisting at the waist or walking your whole body from point A (pick up) to point B (drop off).

Anyone got any ideas?

Mairi

Pete C
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Pete at CAB

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Mairi - 05 January 2016 03:57 PM

I feel like I must be missing something…...

I’ve got an upcoming appeal for someone who has damaged discs in his back and suffers pain from this which increases significantly when he has to move his back.  In the SSCS1 appeal form I said that although he feels he would be able to pick up an empty box from directly in front of him he would not be able to move this without moving his whole body because he can’t twist his torso due to the increase in pain and discomfort this would cause.

The decision maker has commented on this in the appeal papers stating that they fail to see the need to twist the torso when picking up and transferring a light but bulky object.

I can’t work out out how to do this without twisting at the waist or walking your whole body from point A (pick up) to point B (drop off).

Anyone got any ideas?

Mairi

That doesnt seem to make sense. Activity 4. says “Picking up and moving or transferring by the USE OF THE UPPER BODY and arms” Surely this encompasses some sort of twisting or bending motion of the upper body?

Mairi
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Welfare rights officer - Dunedin Canmore Housing Association

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Thanks Pete.  I was starting to doubt myself…  And anyone watching me at my desk yesterday would have thought I’d completely lost it as I tried moving a virtual light but bulky object without moving (not possible to move it far as it turns out)!!

John Birks
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I’ve just had a go and can transfer 97CM just using the ROM in my shoulders.

I used the Disability Rights Handbook (2015/16) as an imaginary empty cardboard box whilst keeping my back flat to the chair back. I took the midway point of the box/book as the reference at the start and finish points to get the 97CM.

It may be a more natural movement to use spinal rotation but in the absence of this transferring is still able to be achieved albeit limited by the ROM in the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints.

Tom H
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Newcastle Welfare Rights Service

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As always John that’s impressive research.  You’ve inspired me and I’ve just finished building a proper box using a glue stick and about 30 pages ripped from the Disability Rights handbook (if you work from the back incl index there’s less long term damage).  And the result is that I was simply too tired to even think about moving anything even just using ROM.  I’m on a roll, however, and intend constructing a workstation tomorrow using nothing more than the 2014/15 edition of CPAG in order to test Activity 2.  I tried it about 4 years ago but the CPAG pages were a lot thicker in those days and I couldn’t get the rise and fall function on it working properly.  Here’s hoping the newer edition is more flexible.  Perhaps CPAG could produce some Ikea type instructions in an appendix in the next edition.

John Birks
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there is still no like or favourite (heart) button.

Maybe a pizza box would suffice?

Mairi
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Welfare rights officer - Dunedin Canmore Housing Association

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97 cm is certainly impressive.  I’d need a chair with wheels and a plastic mat over the carpet tiles to move said bulky object that far without rotating my spine..  And a free run of the space in the office so I didn’t run anyone over in the process!

Gareth Morgan
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Presumably a warehouse worker could fling a box in a straight line without twisting.  Couriers, who do hurl boxes, have to rotate in the driving seat, or is that twisting?  I have a cardboard computer monitor (don’t ask) and I can chuck that to the end of the office.

1964
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Deputy Manager, Reading Community Welfare Rights Unit

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Now that I’d like to see!

John Birks
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Gareth Morgan - 06 January 2016 05:13 PM

Presumably a warehouse worker could fling a box in a straight line without twisting.  Couriers, who do hurl boxes, have to rotate in the driving seat, or is that twisting?  I have a cardboard computer monitor (don’t ask) and I can chuck that to the end of the office.

I don’t have to presume any of the above as I’ve done all of those things in paid work. Spinal rotation was useful at the time as it would extend beyond the reach of arm & shoulder movement alone.

In my opinion the answer to the OP question (below) of whether transferring can **only** be achieved with spinal movement is **no.** 

Surely this encompasses some sort of twisting or bending motion of the upper body?

The ability to move the box is limited to the range of movement in the arms.

Without moving the spine and back flat against the chair back an item can be transferred through a horizontal arc of 180 degrees or just over by changing hands.

Being a box I used both hands which means the reach is limited to the movement of the arm furthest away from the box i.e. left arm when box is to the right.

Arguably I could use the flat of my hands to move the box as it’s empty and therefore the weight is negligible.

Despite all this having looked for several years I’ve been unable to locate a job shifting empty boxes. Usually they’re only worth something once filled.