Discussion Panel: Examining the perpetual issue of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) – Challenges, gaps, and opportunities

According to Injury Facts® data reported annually by the National Safety Council (NSC), overexertion (e.g., lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, or carrying objects) and bodily reactions have consistently been the leading cause of nonfatal injury or illness events involving days away from work. Likewise, overexertion topped the list of injury causes in the 2021 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, costing $13.3 billion in direct costs for businesses. Data from NSC, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Liberty Mutual sources, and peer-reviewed research clearly emphasize the gravity of risk factors related to the worker, work, and workplace on MSD development. The NSC began a major initiative last year with a goal to examine the factors influence MSDs systematically. With the support of a major industry partner, it formed an international advisory council consisting of stakeholders from industry, academic, and research communities. The invited panel of experts, all members of this advisory council, will exchange their views on challenges, gaps, and opportunities to mitigate MSDs. These panelists will discuss various issues regarding research, translation, and work practice related to MSDs. Also emphasized will be knowledge gaps (e.g., causal mechanisms, pathophysiology, and MSD theories), opportunities for enhancing risk reduction through new assessment tools (e.g., mathematical models to predict the risk of injury), emerging technologies (e.g., wearable sensors and exoskeletons), and perspectives on future research/practice priorities.