Not all musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are work-related. MSDs can and do develop outside the workplace. The determination of whether any particular MSD is work-related may require the use of different approaches tailored to specific workplace conditions and exposures. Broadly speaking, establishing the work-relatedness of a specific case may include:
- Taking a careful history of the patient and the illness;
- Conducting a thorough medical examination; and
- Characterizing factors on and off the job that may have caused or contributed to the MSD.