The work that manual therapists do is physically demanding. Practitioners often use repetitive movements, hand force, static loading and awkward postures in their work, all recognized risk factors for developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Targeting some of the most common causes of workplace injury and illness in the healthcare industry, OSHA announced that it is expanding its use of enforcement resources in hospitals and nursing homes to focus on: musculoskeletal disorders related to patient or resident handling; bloodborne pathogens; workplace violence; tuberculosis and slips, trips and falls.

If you haven’t purchased your 20 pound Thanksgiving turkey or your 10 pound bag of potatoes rest assured employees at your local grocery stores are busy restocking the shelves each day with your favorite Thanksgiving foods.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the Canadian Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, has released a new report that can help occupational health and safety practitioners more accurately and efficiently assess postural stress of workers performing their duties at work.

The rise of work-place injuries related to musculoskeletal disorders -- which is costing U.S. businesses more than $20 billion a year -- may be reduced if companies include ergonomic risk assessments in their occupational health and safety management systems, according to an article in the December issue of Professional Safety.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released a new topic page on Upper Limb Musculoskeletal Disorders. The page features peer-reviewed publications that were completed by NIOSH researchers and other members of the MSD Consortium (Washington State Dept. of Labor & Industry, University of California/Berkeley/San Francisco, Washington University/St. Louis, University of Wisconsin, University of Iowa, University of Connecticut, and University of Utah).

OSHA has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the hazards likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders among health care workers responsible for patient care. These disorders include sprains, strains, soft tissue and back injuries.