White Paper on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD)

Introduction

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are fast becoming a workplace concern and public-health problem worldwide. Incidence rates have escalated in recent years, in tandem with the shift to remote working since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet most cases go unreported. Once associated primarily with manual labour, WMSDs are now affecting even those performing light physical work, such as office workers. This white paper sheds light on the rise in WMSDs globally, evaluates its impact on the individual and the organisation, discusses how massage therapy could serve as intervention for musculoskeletal pain, and presents other recommendations for the organisation. Finally, we argue that anyone can acquire self-massage skills to alleviate musculoskeletal pain, given the right knowledge and tools.