Here are a few accommodations from some of my ergonomics
evaluations done for women working in pain from
fibromyalgia.
Case 1: An administrative assistant with fibromyalgia working
for a utility company reported neck pain and upper body
fatigue. Her duties included typing, answering the telephone,
and taking written messages. She was accommodated with a
telephone headset to reduce neck pain and eliminate the
repetitive motion of lifting the telephone from the cradle, a
portable angled writing surface and writing aids to take
written messages, a copy holder to secure documents, and
forearm supports to use when typing.
Case 2: A nurse with fibromyalgia working in a county health
clinic experienced a great deal of fatigue and pain at work. The
nurse typically worked evening shifts but her doctor
recommended a schedule change so she could regulate her
sleep patterns. Accommodation suggestions included
changing her shift from evening to day and restructuring the
work schedule to eliminate working two consecutive twelve-
hour shifts.
My pain and fatigue started after a
traumatic experience. My life literally
changed in every way. It's hard for me to
even put into words what that was like. I
can’t even guess how many doctors I saw.
I was in flares more often than I wasn't. It
was pretty devastating. Doctors thought I
might have chronic fatigue syndrome or
depression. In 2020, I decided to see a
rheumatologist. After giving me a
pressure point exam, he said, "T, you
have Fibromyalgia." Altogether, it took 25
years for me to get diagnosed. I have
learned to work hard at managing my
Fibromyalgia. My life is such now that I
accept my diagnosis and am at peace
with the situation. So, it’s pretty nice,
pretty wonderful. - TH
Case 3: A guidance counselor for a large high school experienced severe bouts of irritable bowel syndrome,
depression, and fatigue as a result of fibromyalgia. She experienced difficulty in opening the heavy doors to the
entrance of the school and had to make frequent trips to the bathroom. The employer moved her office to a
location closer to the restroom and added an automatic entry system to the main doors.
Case 4: An individual employed as a patient rights advocate had carpal tunnel syndrome and fibromyalgia. She
had difficulty keyboarding, writing, and transporting supplies to presentations. The employer installed speech
recognition software for word processing, provided her with writing aids, and gave her a lightweight portable
cart to assist with transporting materials.
Accommodations can be as simple as taking a break to stretch, move around the room, get some fresh air, have
a drink of water, adding a fan or heater to the office or moving your office to a quieter part of the building. As
mornings tend to be the toughest time of day for fibromyalgia sufferers, perhaps you can ask for a flexible start
time. Getting a parking space closer to the office or having a modified door-assist mechanism installed can limit
fatigue before the day starts. This will allow you more energy for the workday.
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