Occupational health and safety in physiotherapy: guidelines for practice

Most physiotherapists (91%) experience work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) at some time, and one in six makes a career change as a consequence. Many of these disorders are attributed to manual handling of patients. This paper proposes guidelines to reduce the risk of WMSDs based on Australian legislative requirements, the results of a survey of Australian physiotherapists and the literature surrounding injury prevention. These guidelines address the areas of environmental and job design, and the personal physical capabilities of physiotherapists, within the context of law. The paper concludes by calling for further research to explore and develop this area of injury prevention in the physiotherapy profession.