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Pg 3: Inauguration Ceremony Conferences Pg 11: AMSC: Pre-Conference |
Pre-Conference Preparation for AMSC08 Click to read about Occupational Safety and Health Gallery at HK Science Museum In late June, the Hong Kong delegation paid a visit to the Hong Kong Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui as a pre-conference event. The visit reminded me of my childhood, when I was still fascinated by the stunning Energy Machine and the lovely driving simulator. Yet, there were more to be discovered inside the museum.
The Occupational Safety and Health gallery focused on safety awareness and precautions, and encouraged the development of safety values and practices in the workplace. We listened to a very interesting presentation which highlighted the significance of repetitive strain injuries in an office environment. We also learned that different types of workers were exposed to various hazards such as slips and falls, and diseases such as hearing loss and injuries of vertebral column. Thus, industrial workers, for example those who execute cutting and welding, are always protected with special suits and kits.
Another interesting feature of this gallery was a simulated construction site where we could experience the thrill of potential hits by falling objects and appreciate the importance of precautionary measures. Just imagine yourself walking into a construction site without a helmet! The theme of this gallery really corresponded to our topic in the AMSC Paper Presentation – Repetitive Strain Injuries. People working in different sectors are all susceptible, whether it is at a construction site, in a factory or behind an office desk. Therefore, it is very important to raise our awareness on occupational health.Interview with Orthopaedic Specialists – Dr. Chien Ping and Dr. Lau Pui Yau In order to prepare for AMSAHK’s paper presentation on “Occupational Repetitive Strain Injuries in Hong Kong: Awareness, Management and Prevention” at the Paper Competition of the 29th AMSC, we conducted two interviews in June 2008 with Hong Kong’s renowned orthopaedic surgeons, one in the private sector – Dr. Chien Ping, and the other in the public sector – Dr. Lau Pui Yau. The interviews aimed to increase our understanding of the awareness of patients towards occupational Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) in Hong Kong.
We were told by Dr. Chien that the awareness is generally low as “patients view repetitive strain injury as non-life-threatening and usually will not seek medical attention until the injury interferes with their household and daily routines.” Practitioners believe that the figure of RSI is quite high but the actual figure is difficult to estimate because the guidelines for defining occupational RSIs are ambiguous. According to Dr. Lau, patients will, in general, seek medical attention first from family physicians. The family physicians would refer patients to appropriate specialists for medical assistance after diagnosing the RSIs. Patients may also seek traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) or complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies, either before or concurrently with western treatments, under the influence of traditional culture. Both surgeons interviewed, however, were open towards patients receiving TCM and/or CAM. According to the specialists, the following common occupational strain injuries are often treated with satisfactory results: trigger fingers, Dupuytren contracture, De Quervain tenosynovitis, carpel tunnel syndrome, golfer’s and tennis elbow, biceps tendonitis, rotator cuff syndrome, neck and back strain, hip and knee strain, calf and ankle tendon injury, and bursitis of lower limb. Specialists have the following management tools: drugs, injection, surgery, associated ancillary treatment, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and rehabilitation. Therefore, the awareness and early treatment of RSI are essential.
Regarding treatment, common neck and back injuries usually have low compliance because advice regarding posture, exercise and diet is often ignored. Pamphlets on prevention of RSIs can be obtained at the public outpatient clinics, but are given after seeking treatment, implying that patients are medically notified of the underlying preventive measurements only after the symptoms appear. These interviews gave us a better understanding of RSI and how we as medical students and medical practitioners could improve the treatment outcome by promoting the awareness, early management and prevention of RSI.http://www.amsahk.org |
© 2008 Asian Medical Students' Association Hong Kong (AMSAHK)
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