Reducing Work-associated Back Problems in the Health Service: The role of the physiotherapist/ergonomist

Summary Back problems have traditionally formed a major part of the physiotherapy domain, yet most of the work performed by physiotherapists is aimed at symptom relief; not at prevention. As a result of changes in our society, the demand for successful preventive action has increased. This paper discusses the failure of the training and selection approaches and suggests that physiotherapists using an ergonomics approach may be more effective in their preventive interventions. It concludes by describing a unique trial of this approach in a District health authority of the UK National Health Service.

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