Few people would still support the existence of The Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti or even our very own Taniwha yet many have not questioned some of the myths around managing MSDs in the construction industry.

The trouble with myths is they create unnecessary fear and hinder progress so they need to be challenged. Over time, new evidence emerges to help us understand the reality of the situation and consequently our understanding of MSDs has changed significantly over the years.

For example, Len Ring’s saying “Don’t use your back like a crane” is no longer repeated as we now know you need to move your spine through its whole range of motion regularly to keep it healthy and strong.

Accepting the reality of MSDs helps us formulate an effective approach to combat MSDs in our industry. Lets not let fear of Nessie stop us from gaining the benefits of swimming in the lake. There will still be those that swear black and blue they saw the Yeti but most of us will just call it for what it is: mumbo jumbo!

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