Common Work-Related Musculoskeletal Injuries
- What Are Musculoskeletal Disorders?
- What Are Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD)?
- What Are the Risk Factors for WMSDs?
- How Common Are MSDs?
What Are Musculoskeletal Disorders?
Musculoskeletal
disorders include a group of conditions that involve the nerves,
tendons,
muscles, and supporting structures such as intervertebral discs. They
represent a wide range of disorders, which can differ in severity from
mild periodic symptoms to severe chronic and
debilitating conditions. Examples include carpal tunnel syndrome, tenosynovitis, tension neck syndrome, and low back pain.
What Are Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD)?
Work
Related Musculoskeletal Disorders are musculoskeletal disorders caused
or made worse by
the work environment. WMSDs can cause severe and debilitating symptoms
such as pain, numbness, and tingling; reduced worker productivity; lost
time from work; temporary or permanent disability;
inability to perform job tasks; and an increase in workers
compensation costs. Musculoskeletal disorders are often confused with
ergonomics. Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace
conditions and job demands to the capabilities of workers. In other
words, musculoskeletal disorders are the problem and ergonomics is a
solution.
What Are the Risk Factors for WMSDs?
Repetitive,
forceful, or prolonged exertions of the hands; frequent or heavy
lifting,
pushing, pulling, or carrying of heavy objects; prolonged awkward
postures; and vibration contribute to WMSDs. Jobs or working conditions
that combine risk factors will increase the risk for
musculoskeletal problems. The level of risk depends on how long a
worker is exposed to these conditions, how often they are exposed, and
the level of exposure.
How Common Are MSDs?
Musculoskeletal
disorders of any cause are among the most prevalent medical problems,
affecting 7% of the population and accounting for 14% of physician
visits and 19% of hospital stays. When looking specifically at
work-related musculoskeletal disorders, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) reports that in 1995, 62% (308,000) of all illness
cases were due to disorders associated with repeated trauma. This figure
does not include back injuries. BLS also reports that
the number of cases of repeated trauma has increased significantly,
rising from 23,800 cases in 1972 to 332,000 cases in 1994-a fourteenfold
increase. In 1995 the number of cases decreased by 7% to
308,000 reported cases, but this number still exceeds the number of
cases in any year prior to 1994. When looking specifically at cases
involving days away from work, for which more detailed
information is available, BLS reports that in 1994, approximately 32%
or 705,800 cases were the result of overexertion or repetitive motion.
This figure includes back injuries.
