Is Manual Handling Involved?
Some of the most common causes of work-related sickness absence are muscular disorders. The main categories for musculoskeletal disorders are:
- Neck/thoracic/spine
- Lumbar spine/trunk
- Shoulder
- Elbow
- Hand/wrist/arm
- Hip/knee
- Ankle/foot
Many different tasks/activities can aggravate or cause musculoskeletal disorders. The most common activity attributed to hand/wrist/arm disorders is a repetitive forceful element required in the task. The lumbar spine/trunk disorders are commonly attributed to manual handling of loads for example in occupations such as nursing and driving/delivery personnel.
A key element of musculoskeletal surveillance is gathering an accurate history of health status, allowing the Occupational Health practitioner to recommend appropriate safe work practices.
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