Kevin: ‘You have to make a fuss. You have to make sure everyone knows you have a problem.’

When he started work, Kevin was perfectly healthy. Two months later he couldn’t stand up.

‘I worked in publications at a city law firm as a graphic designer. I needed a deep desk because my job required a big computer screen. So two desks were pushed together to make an L shape and I worked at the junction of the two. Because of the desk legs I either had to sit with one of my legs at right angles or twist my legs around the desk legs. It was very uncomfortable.

‘One day I bent over at home to pick up a towel, my back locked and I couldn’t stand up. I had complained about the desk from day one but it wasn’t until I came in doubled over with a prolapsed disc that the company did anything about it. Even then they only removed the offending desk legs.’

‘I needed two weeks off work and was on such strong pain killers I could hardly think. Luckily, in my health authority there was a fast track system for back problems and I saw a physiotherapist within the week. I needed twice-weekly physiotherapy, traction (movement) and an exercise programme taking twenty minutes twice a day. I still do ten minutes of stretching a day to stop it coming back.

‘The firm charged clients hundreds of pounds an hour so I’d like to think they just didn’t know about adjustable work-stations rather than they were too mean to buy me one. I certainly didn’t know. I assumed my problem was just bad luck. It was only later I realised it was the effect of my working position.’

Going to his GP promptly may have saved Kevin’s career.