ABSTRACT

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that in 1994 nearly two thirds of the workplace illnesses were

disorders associated with repeated trauma (one category of musculoskeletal disorders) (BLS 1995). These

figures do not include low back disorders associated with overexertion, which accounted for 380,000 lost

time cases in 1993. The number of repeated trauma cases reported in 1994 was 332,000, a 10% increase

from the 1993 figure. In fact, since 1982, the number of reported disorders associated with repeated

trauma has been increasing each year (BLS 1995). Not surprisingly, many health care providers (HCPs)

find evaluating and treating these employees consumes an increasing proportion of their time and energy.