Research at CRE-MSD

The strength of the Centre's research program is that it spans the field of MSD-prevention research from intensive, lab-based studies in cell and tissue disorders and injury, to the creation, implementation and evaluation of prevention programs.  Our lab-based results and findings help inform the development of workplace interventions, which can then be adapted or translated into workplace-ready interventions.

Examples of the Centre's research within the lab environment include examining functional and cellular alterations in work-related muscle pain, conducting biomechanical analyses of the potential contributions of spine instability to low back injury, and researching dynamic torsion and disc herniation.

Research into outcome, exposure and risk assessment includes looking at rotation and hazard identification and how this relates to multi-task jobs, examining shoulder muscular demands and perceptions for low-demanding tasks, and finding ways to reduce injury in meter installation.

When developing interventions to prevent MSDs, Centre researchers are developing and testing a design tool for hand strength, examining the loading differences between lifting and pushing, and looking at Tai Chi as a prevention exercise for computer users.

The workplace intervention research includes developing a sectoral prevention of MSDs for the transportation sector, evaluating the impact of participatory ergonomics interventions in manufacturing, and exploring organizational factors and Safety Climate in the electrical utilities sector.

The Centre's research program spans topics from cell to society:

• Research into the Identification, Causes and Mechanisms of MSDs
• Research into Assessment Tools and Development of Interventions
• Workplace Interventions and Evaluation Research