Introduction
1.1 Overview
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full-time staff, have the highest incidence rate of musculoskeletal diseases. In the
health, processing, agriculture, wholesale, retail and leisure industries, the incidence
rates are over 35 per 10,000 full-time staff. For example, a national survey of US
nurses revealed that 38% suffered an MSD in the previous year, primarily injuries to
the lower back. In workers, the neck and back are affected most frequently, followed
by the upper and lower extremities. The Office of Labour Statistics reports that 31.8
new cases of MSD per 10,000 full-time staff can be attributed annually to overexertion
or repeated movements.