Our research program is based on six foundational questions, or themes. The answers to these questions will help determine whether research into musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is moving in the right direction. Current research and practice suggests that existing approaches to some or all of these issues can be improved.
The six questions are framed to discover possible barriers to effective MSD prevention, and to identify gaps in research, possibilities for improvement in our practice, and where increased research focus is needed. Because of the very broad nature of the six questions, a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach is required to address these issues.
The six questions
- How well do we understand MSDs and their burdens?
- How good are our MSD risk factors?
- How effective and informative are current workplace MSD assessment approaches?
- How effective are the recommended interventions in actually reducing MSDs in the workplace?
- How intensely and widely implemented are workplace interventions to prevent MSDs?
- How well are we improving disability outcomes for MSDs?
For more information, read the editorial Why have we not solved the MSD problem?, by Dr. Richard Wells.