Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Workplace

Examines the scientific basis for connecting musculoskeletal disorders with the workplace, considering people, job tasks, and work environments. This work draws conclusions about the likelihood of causal links and the effectiveness of intervention strategies. It offers recommendations for what actions can be considered on the basis of information.

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Every year workers' low-back, hand, and arm problems lead to time away from jobs and reduce the nation's economic productivity. The connection of these problems to workplace activities-from carrying boxes to lifting patients to pounding computer keyboards-is the subject of major disagreements among workers, employers, advocacy groups, and researchers.



Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Workplace examines the scientific basis for connecting musculoskeletal disorders with the workplace, considering people, job tasks, and work environments. A multidisciplinary panel draws conclusions about the likelihood of causal links and the effectiveness of various intervention strategies. The panel also offers recommendations for what actions can be considered on the basis of current information and for closing information gaps.



This book presents the latest information on the prevalence, incidence, and costs of musculoskeletal disorders and identifies factors that influence injury reporting. It reviews the broad scope of evidence: epidemiological studies of physical and psychosocial variables, basic biology, biomechanics, and physical and behavioral responses to stress. Given the magnitude of the problem-approximately 1 million people miss some work each year-and the current trends in workplace practices, this volume will be a must for advocates for workplace health, policy makers, employers, employees, medical professionals, engineers, lawyers, and labor officials.
Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
Part I: Introduction
Introduction
Dimensions of the Problem
Methodological Issues and Approaches
Part II: Review of the Evidence
Epidemiological Evidence
Tissue Mechanobiology
Biomechanics
Occupational Stress
Interventions in the Workplace
Work Now and In the Future
Part II: Implications
Patterns of Evidence
Conclusions and Recommendations
Research Agenda
References
Appendix A: Answers to Questions Posed by Congress
Appendix B: Dissent, Robert M. Szabo
Appendix C: Panel Response to the Dissent
Appendix D: Contributors to the Report
Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Panel Members and Staff
Index