Definition - What does kneeling mean?
Kneeling is a position in which one or both knees are on the floor, and the upper body is upright. Knee joints are one of the common injury points in the workplace and kneeling puts strain on these joints.
SureHire explains kneeling
Kneeling, bending of the knee(s) so that one or both knees are supporting the body, can put stress on the knee joints and become a risk factor for developing knee disorders. The degree of postural exposure to the knee depends on the tasks performed and the load during the task. This can vary greatly between different occupations, and even within the same occupation on the same day.
There has been some evidence that a relationship may exist between kneeling, heavy lifting, and knee osteoarthritis. Kneeling can be part of a functional assessment as well, testing how easily the worker can get in and out of the position, as well as maintaining the position for a specified amount of time. Such assessments are vital in monitoring worker health when kneeling is a part of daily job duties. Good ergonomic design of a job task and work station as well as assistive devices can also help lesson the impact of kneeling on worker health.
