ULD! Don't you mean RSI?

The study by System Concepts Ltd, carried out on behalf of the HSE, examined employee perceptions of MSDs, how much they were informed and how much they thought they were at risk.

Overall, those workers questioned felt informed about the risks of back pain ULDs and had realistic perceptions of the likelihood of suffering from them, according to the researchers.

However, there was confusion about terminology, with the terms musculoskeletal disorder and upper limb disorder being less well understood than "back pain".

The researchers concluded that the use of such terms reduced the effectiveness of the guidance and made it more difficult for people to find help. They suggested using "more populist terms" such as RSI (repetitive strain injury) in self-help documentation in particular, despite its "inappropriateness".

Interestingly, the researchers also highlighted a problem over use of the term "stress". The report said: "People no longer seem to be 'busy' or 'a bit harassed', instead they say they are stressed.

"The problem maybe that they do not distinguish between the normal pressures of life and the disabling pressure which causes a wide range of disorders. The HSE has an important role in ensuring that, in publicising stress at work as a genuine concern, they avoid creating the impression that the extreme form is a high risk for most people."