ABSTRACT
Musculoskeletal disorders of the back and upper extremity have drawn the vast majority of attention
and scientific research because of well-documented high prevalence and severity. This is under-
standable because 56.4% of all injuries caused by overexertion affected the back and 76.2% of injuries
caused by repetitive motion affected the upper extremity in 2001 according to the Bureau of Labor
The number of lower extremity injuries every year is not negligible. Injuries and illnesses to the lower
extremity caused 21.0% of all incidents resulting in lost work days in 2001. In descending order, the
primary causes of lower extremity injury are: (a) the “all other events” category; (b) falls to the same
level; and (c) struck by object. There were a lesser number of total injuries, but “slips and trip
without fall” results 62.5% of the time in injury to the lower extremity, especially to the knees and
ankles.6 A slip or a trip is more likely result in a lower extremity injury than an injury to any other
body part.
