{"id":4538,"date":"2023-10-03T12:03:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T10:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/?p=4538"},"modified":"2026-02-06T12:07:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:07:58","slug":"musculoskeletal-disorders-a-societal-health-issue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/musculoskeletal-disorders-a-societal-health-issue\/","title":{"rendered":"Musculoskeletal disorders: a societal health issue?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect millions of people around the world. In Switzerland, 40% <\/strong>of the working population suffers from MSDs, accounting for a quarter of all absences from work. Certain movements performed in the course of professional activities can aggravate the situation, hence the importance of taking preventive measures, which can help stabilize or improve symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, you will learn more about possible preventive measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Definition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

MSDs are painful and debilitating conditions that affect the joints or the surrounding areas. These disorders have many causes, linked to both occupational and personal factors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some conditions can be cured, particularly those of inflammatory origin, but they can also worsen if the strain and the same functioning persist. When the pain intensifies, functional limitations appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If nothing is done to improve the situation at work and in the private sphere, MSDs can develop into a chronic form and even become disabling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risk factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are generally caused by a combination of occupational and individual factors. Here are some risk factors for MSDs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The consequences for businesses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Musculoskeletal disorders have a significant impact on businesses, both in human and financial terms. Here are some possible consequences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Decreased productivity:<\/strong> even when employees with MSDs do not take time off work, their productivity may be reduced due to pain or functional limitations. They may take longer to complete tasks or be unable to perform at full capacity. It is important to remember that people who endure pain on a daily basis may become irritable or even isolated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Increased absenteeism: <\/strong>Employees with MSDs are more likely to be absent from work due to pain, discomfort, or inability to perform their tasks. Once absent, the workload is distributed among those present, leading to increased responsibilities, schedule changes, and even disruption to the private lives of the remaining employees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Increased health-related costs: <\/strong>These include, for example, replacements, the recruitment process, training new employees, increased premiums, or redesigning the workstation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Increased turnover:<\/strong> MSDs can make work uncomfortable or difficult for employees, which can contribute to higher staff turnover rates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    How can MSDs be prevented ?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Prevention in the workplace involves identifying risks <\/strong>to employees and implementing measures <\/strong>to reduce or eliminate them. This approach allows action to be taken before symptoms worsen and the condition becomes established. It is important to seek support from professionals in this field during these stages: occupational health specialists, ergonomists, occupational physicians, safety officers…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Referring to the diagram above, employers can take action on organizational constraints, psychosocial risks, and biomechanical constraints. Employers must take all measures to protect and prevent physical, psychological, and biological harm to their employees<\/strong>. It is therefore their duty to adapt the work environment to meet legal requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On the other hand, employees are equally responsible for their physical and psychological well-being and can positively impact their individual capacity by adopting an optimal lifestyle and applying good posture and movements in their private and professional lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In conclusion, MSDs are a common health problem that can be prevented or reduced through various optimal preventive measures. If you experience symptoms of MSDs, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional promptly for appropriate treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    Source : SECO, (2023).  Pr\u00e9venir les troubles musculosquelettiques.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect millions of people around the world. In Switzerland, 40% of the working population suffers from MSDs, accounting for a quarter of all absences from work. Certain movements performed in the course of professional activities can aggravate the situation, hence the importance of taking preventive measures, which can help stabilize or improve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":4539,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-at-work"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4538"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4538\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4581,"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4538\/revisions\/4581"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.corporatehealthservices.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}