The Las Vegas ErgoExpo was host to much more than the latest office furniture this year. The event also showcased many different workplace solutions for increasing employee wellness and reducing repetitive stress injury (RSI). Here’s a look at some of the companies that showed up to talk about their approach to workplace ergonomics:

EGE WorkSmart Solutions

EGE specializes in both workplace injury prevention and intervention. Think about how many times an employee has come to you saying their wrist is hurting or their back is hurting from performing everyday office tasks. You don’t know how to respond. If you send them to the doctor, nothing’s going to show up on an x-ray. An MRI isn’t likely to be more revealing at this stage. You can wait for the problem to get worse or try different approaches to fixing the problem without really understanding what’s going on. But it makes more sense to call in a licensed rehabilitation professional to evaluate the employee in his or her actual work setting. This way, you can identify exactly which tasks, motions, furniture, and environmental factors are playing a role in the worker’s pain. It’s certainly cheaper than dealing with a vague WC claim later!

Atlas Ergonomics

This company’s claim to fame is the Stretch It Out! (SIO) program. This program is based on the idea that workers in all jobs should stretch throughout the day to keep limber. The consulting firm doesn’t just make suggestions about a few yoga moves for people to do. Instead, it makes stretching a way of life in the office, industrial plant, and other work sites. You can implement the program yourself or call in on-site support to get things kicked off. Some employees really get into this and start stretching more on their own because they like the way it makes them feel.

Wellnomics

This firm is all about managing wellness with the aid of web based tools. It’s directed toward addressing the particular ergonomic challenges of office workers who are on the computer all day. The software installed on each desktop records statistics such as keyboard and mouse usage. It also provides regular notifications encouraging office workers to take breaks to perform simple exercises. The manager can review this information to ensure that employees are taking these wellness breaks and not overdoing it on the computer.