Scientific Issues
Worldwide, musculoskeletal conditions are the most common causes of severe long-term pain and physical disability.[21,22] The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about 30% of back pain worldwide was due to working conditions.[23] In some segments of the workforce, ergonomic hazards account for more than 50% of all musculoskeletal disorders.[24] Health care workers are especially affected by heavy lifting, such as patient and resident handling. The rate of back injuries in the health care and social services sector is nearly 1.5 times greater than for private industry as a whole, and this risk accounts for a large proportion of nurses and other direct care workers leaving the job