https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2018/back-injuries-prominent-in-work-related-musculoskeletal-disorder-cases-in-2016.htm

The latest issue of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ publication “The Economics Daily” examined different kinds of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The data shows that work-related musculoskeletal disorders that require days away from work often involve back injuries alone.

Musculoskeletal disorders are injuries or illnesses resulting from overexertion or repetitive motion. They include soft-tissue injuries like sprains, strains, tears, hernias and carpal tunnel. In 2016, musculoskeletal disorders involving the back made up 38.5 percent of all work-related musculoskeletal disorders, or 134,550 back cases out of 349,050 total cases.

Some occupations seem to generate more musculoskeletal disorders than others. Nursing assistants experienced 10,330 back-related musculoskeletal disorder cases in 2016, while laborers and hand material movers experienced 10,660. Those two occupations alone made up 15.6 percent of all back-related cases in 2016. Other occupations where work-related musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent are janitors and cleaners, stock clerks and order fillers, maintenance and repair workers, and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Heavy tractor-trailer truck drivers had a greater proportion of injuries that affected the shoulder (19.2 percent) and leg (16.3 percent).

Musculoskeletal disorders exclude impact events like a fall or struck-by injury.

Read more from the BLS.