title: How we prevent prevention of musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace.
abstract: American businesses face huge costs for work-related musculoskeletal pain. Work-related musculoskeletal pain is not new or unique to the population of the United States. Many historic manifestations of workplace pain have been related to innovation and technology changes. Incidence rates and severity of symptoms have had an interesting relationship to the public concern and governmental decisions. In 1999, a National Academy of Sciences study found total costs to be more than US dollar 1 trillion per year and concluded that effective prevention of workplace pain through active intervention is not only possible, but results in a significant cost savings for the employer while reducing the disability experienced by the employee. Employers have been reluctant to embrace the benefits of workplace prevention for work-related musculoskeletal pain. The purpose of this review is to examine (1). what is know about prevention of work-related musculoskeletal pain and workplace musculoskeletal disorders, (2). a brief description of several prevention preventing behaviors, (3). an analysis of how these preventing behaviors are maintained, and (4). suggestions on how to reverse these prevention preventing behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, KS, USA. melhorn@CtdMAP.com
authors.forename: J Mark
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Melhorn
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gardner
mesh_terms: D017046:Cost Savings; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics; D017132:Workplace