Musculoskeletal disorders, more commonly known as MSDs, are of a complex etiology, for the origin is as different as every individual. This salient ingredient in safety and health of the employee and company continues to evade typical programs. There are other arenas of business – sports in particular - where there is a strong focus on preventing and maintaining the health of the employee - the athlete. Other industries are no different: oil production and exploration, assembly manufacturing, food processing, farming and construction. All industries and businesses have the same denominator as sports businesses: the employee is an athlete. Therefore using proven preventative sports medicine ideas and techniques is the next wave to subdue musculoskeletal injuries in the workplace. This talk delves into why individuals are vastly different, why this is now more important than ever to incorporate proven, approved methods to a company's existing safety program and to utilize ways for a team approach in a worker's physical safety.
We will also discuss how this type of preventative program changes emotions in workers and look at the current studies on how emotions really affect and effect the worker in the work place.
MSDs continue to be a leading cause of pain, suffering, and disability in the American workplace In a recent publication from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, OSHA, it is reported that approximately 40% of injured workers are not receiving any type of financial compensation from work related injuries; thus burdening the family, our social system, other subsidized programs and private insurances.
As a clinician, I wonder how many "accidents", not classified as a MSD, are really the result of a MSD that is not reported due to the lack of early intervention programs in the workplace, or the notion of the worker and the company, that the soft tissue complaint is from an "old football injury in high school".
