Data show back injuries prominent in work-related MSD cases
Posted September 5, 2018
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program reveal back injuries accounted for nearly 40 percent of all work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) cases in 2016. Nursing assistants and laborers and hand material movers experienced the highest number of MSDs, accounting for 15.6 percent of all back-related cases in 2016.
MSDs are injuries or illnesses resulting from overexertion or repetitive motion, and include soft-tissue injuries such as sprains, strains, tears, hernias, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Work-related MSDs that result in days away from work most commonly involve the back alone.
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