A report from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) earlier this year linked back pain and other muskuloskeletal disorders (MSDs) to particular jobs. The NAS stated, “Scientific evidence shows that musculoskeletal disorders of the lower back and upper extremities can be attributed to particular jobs and working conditions—including heavy lifting, repetitive and forceful motions, and stressful work environments, but the problem can be reduced with well-designed intervention programs.”
As reported in ergoweb, the NAS report found a strong link between back disorders and jobs where workers frequently bend and twist their bodies, manually lift materials, or experience whole-body vibration from motor vehicles. Monotonous work, a rapid work pace, high levels of job stress, low job satisfaction, and little decision-making power are also associated with back disorders.
