Rate of MSD Injuries
In 2018, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) made up 30 percent of all cases that resulted in Days Away From Work (DAFW) across all private industries.
MSDs Resulting in Days Away From Work for Selected Healthcare Occupations (2011)
This means that nearly one-third of the workers who had to take time off because of a work-related injury or illness were dealing with an MSD. These types of injuries can include sprains, strains, or tears to muscles, joints, or connective tissues. They are often caused by repetitive tasks, overexertion, or lifting heavy objects—common tasks in many healthcare jobs.
Certain healthcare occupations had especially high numbers of MSDs resulting in days away from work.
- Nursing assistants reported 15,360 MSD injuries which made up 52 percent of all Days Away From Work (DAFW) in 2018. On average, each MSD case caused a nursing assistant to be away from work for 8 days.
- Registered nurses also experienced a high number of MSD cases. In 2018, there were 8,390 reported cases of MSDs among registered nurses. These made up 42 percent of all DAFW cases for that occupation. The median number of days away from work for these injuries was 7.
These statistics show that healthcare workers, especially those who perform direct patient care, are at serious risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. Lifting, transferring, and repositioning patients without proper equipment or help from team members often leads to injury. MSD assessments and safe patient handling programs are critical in helping reduce these risks and protect healthcare workers.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-3. According to recent statistics, who is more likely to have an MSD injury in the healthcare industry?
You forgot to answer the question!