Contemplating change: a focus on manual handling in higher education

Abstract

Manual handling activities in healthcare are a major risk factor for work related musculoskeletal injury and both graduate and undergraduate physiotherapists are at risk of injury. Current approaches to manual handling training lack evidence to support their efficacy in reducing musculoskeletal injury. Despite this, these approaches remain commonly used as occupational health and safety interventions both in industry and higher education. Issues associated with the education of undergraduate physiotherapy students on the topic of manual handling are the focus of this discussion paper. The authors propose that integration of behaviour change theory (based on the Trans-Theoretical Model of Change) with the development of knowledge and skills within the curriculum is worthy of consideration.