Positioning the Body to Reduce MSD Injury Risk: Focus on the Shoulder

Shoulder injuries have the longest average recovery time in comparison to all other body regions.

mannequins showing examples of how to position the shoulders while standing and reaching
mannequin showing examples of how to position the shoulder
  • Shrugging the shoulders, forward rounding, and pulling too far back increases risk of injury.
  • To reduce risk of injury – avoid shrugging and keep the elbows close to the body.

Examples of tasks

Did you know? 

  • Risk of injury increases with repetition and fatigue.
  • Shoulder injury consequences include:
    • Missed time from work
    • Decreased work performance
    • Delayed return to work
mannequin showing examples of how to position the shoulder when lifting a box from waist height to a shelf above shoulder height
mannequin showing examples of how to position the shoulder when pushing a cart

A) The shoulder is most prone to injury when the arms are elevated above the head.

Did you know? 

B) Limit overhead reaching when handling heavy loads using body positioning.

  • Maintain a firm grip on the load.
  • Use two arms when possible to distribute the load.

C) Keep the load close to body when handling.

GREEN – No action required if tasks are not held or repeated for long periods and no MSD symptoms are reported. Continue to monitor for MSD symptoms and check after workplace or process changes. YELLOW – Investigations and improvement needed in the longer term. Investigation and improvement needed immediately if MSD symptoms are present. ORANGE – Further assessment or improvement needed immediately.
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