Three out of four Canadian adults experience some form of back or neck discomfort at some point in their lives. These people represent a large and lucrative market for unscrupulous and less-skilled practitioners, of which there are too many in the medical, rehabilitative, insurance and pharmacological fields.

There was a time when jobs that inflicted vibrations on the body — long-haul truck driving and construction work, for instance — were considered bad for the back. But new research out of the University of Calgary suggests that certain vibrations may in fact help alleviate chronic back pain.

A recent survey of Canadian workplaces has shown that nearly 60 per cent of employees do not believe their senior management is “involved in the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases involving musculoskeletal disorders.”

What others think about an injured worker may have significant impact on that worker’s rehabilitation process and return-to-work strategy, according to new study from Quebec-based research firm, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST).

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) account for 40 per cent of all lost-time claims in Ontario workplaces. MSDs and repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are injuries that affect muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves, and can develop when the same muscles are used repetitively or for long periods.