Robert E Larson*, Wayne Johnson, Ulrike Mitchell
Healthcare workers are among the most injured workers in the United States, having injury rates similar to those in the construction industry. The most common body part injured in this population is the low back. There are many possible factors feeding into the injury of the low back including problems with anatomical structures, such as the intervertebral discs or multifidus muscles, biomechanics during patient transfers, and improper use of equipment. Some of these risk factors can be modified using friction-reducing transfer sheets or adjusting bed height, but as yet the risks remain high.