There was low- to very low- quality evidence that other interventions were not effective in reducing work-related upper limb and neck MSDs in adults .
We found moderate- quality evidence to suggest that the use of arm support with alternative mouse may reduce the incidence of neck/shoulder MSDs , but not right upper limb MSDs .
Moreover , we found moderate- quality evidence to suggest that the incidence of neck/shoulder and right upper limb MSDs is not reduced when comparing alternative and conventional mouse with and without arm support .
However , given there were multiple comparisons made involving a number of interventions and outcomes , high- quality evidence is needed to determine the effectiveness of these interventions clearly .
While we found very-low- to low- quality evidence to suggest that other ergonomic interventions do not prevent work-related MSDs of the upper limb and neck , this was limited by the paucity and heterogeneity of available studies .
BACKGROUND Work-related upper limb and neck musculoskeletal disorders ( MSDs ) are one of the most common occupational disorders around the world .
Although ergonomic design and training are likely to reduce the risk of workers developing work-related upper limb and neck MSDs , the evidence is unclear .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of workplace ergonomic design or training interventions , or both , for the prevention of work-related upper limb and neck MSDs in adults .
A controlled trial of an educational program to prevent low back injuries.
BACKGROUND Low back injuries are common and costly , accounting for 15 to 25 percent of injuries covered by workers ' compensation and 30 to 40 percent of the payments made under that program . The high costs of injury , the lack of effective treatment . and the evidence that there are behavioral risk factors have led to widespread use of employee education programs that teach safe lifting and h and ling . The effectiveness of those programs , however , has received little rigorous evaluation . METHODS We evaluated an educational program design ed to prevent low back injury in a r and omized , controlled trial involving about 4000 postal workers . The program , similar to that in wide use in so-called back schools , was taught by experienced physical therapists . Work units of workers and supervisors were trained in a two-session back school ( three hours of training ) , followed by three to four reinforcement sessions over the succeeding few years . Injured subjects ( from both the intervention and the control groups ) were r and omized a second time to receive either training or no training after their return to work . RESULTS Physical therapists trained 2534 postal workers and 134 supervisors . Over 5.5 years of follow-up , 360 workers reported low back injuries , for a rate of 21.2 injuries per 1000 worker-years of risk . The median time off from work per injury was 14 days ( range , 0 to 1717 ) ; the median cost was $ 204 ( range , zero to $ 190,380 ) . After their return to work , 75 workers were injured again . Our comparison of the intervention and control groups found that the education program did not reduce the rate of low back injury , the median cost per injury , the time off from work per injury , the rate of related musculoskeletal injuries , or the rate of repeated injury after return to work ; only the subjects ' knowledge of safe behavior was increased by the training . CONCLUSIONS A large-scale , r and omized , controlled trial of an educational program to prevent work-associated low back injury found no long-term benefits associated with training
There was low- to very low- quality evidence that other interventions were not effective in reducing work-related upper limb and neck MSDs in adults .
We found moderate- quality evidence to suggest that the use of arm support with alternative mouse may reduce the incidence of neck/shoulder MSDs , but not right upper limb MSDs .
Moreover , we found moderate- quality evidence to suggest that the incidence of neck/shoulder and right upper limb MSDs is not reduced when comparing alternative and conventional mouse with and without arm support .
However , given there were multiple comparisons made involving a number of interventions and outcomes , high- quality evidence is needed to determine the effectiveness of these interventions clearly .
While we found very-low- to low- quality evidence to suggest that other ergonomic interventions do not prevent work-related MSDs of the upper limb and neck , this was limited by the paucity and heterogeneity of available studies .
BACKGROUND Work-related upper limb and neck musculoskeletal disorders ( MSDs ) are one of the most common occupational disorders around the world .
Although ergonomic design and training are likely to reduce the risk of workers developing work-related upper limb and neck MSDs , the evidence is unclear .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of workplace ergonomic design or training interventions , or both , for the prevention of work-related upper limb and neck MSDs in adults .