How To Identify High-Risk Individuals for Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a silent epidemic affecting workplaces and individuals worldwide. Research reveals that MSDs account for one-third of all workers’ compensation costs and cost employers a staggering $20 billion annually in direct expenses. These figures don’t even account for indirect costs, such as lost productivity, absenteeism, and employee turnover, which can double or triple the financial impact. One of the most common—and costly—MSDs? Sprains and strains.
According to the OSHA Safety Pays Calculator, a single workplace sprain or strain can result in average direct costs of $30,000. When factoring in indirect costs, the total expense for one injury can soar to $100,000 or more. These numbers underscore the importance of early identification and intervention, and that’s where Symmio excels.
Understanding Risk Categories with Symmio
Symmio’s cutting-edge platform is designed to identify high-risk individuals early, enabling organizations to prevent costly injuries like sprains and strains. The platform categorizes individuals into four distinct risk levels, making it easier to prioritize care and allocate resources effectively:
Low Risk: No significant health or wellness concerns detected.
Slight Risk: Minor areas of concern that may require monitoring or low-level interventions.
Moderate Risk: Significant risk factors that indicate the need for immediate preventive measures.
High Risk: Clear indicators of immediate concern, such as pain, movement limitations, or red flags requiring urgent attention.
Learn more about these risk categories here.
Symmio uses evidence-based screening tools and advanced algorithms to pinpoint individuals at the elevated and high-risk levels, where the likelihood of MSD-related injuries is highest. These insights empower employers to implement targeted interventions that mitigate risks and reduce injury-related costs.
How Symmio Identifies High-Risk Individuals
Symmio takes a systematic and evidence-based approach to identifying high-risk individuals by evaluating eight key domains of functional health and wellness. Research has shown that musculoskeletal risk is multifactorial, meaning that a variety of interconnected factors influence an individual’s overall risk.
Symmio’s approach is grounded in the understanding that everything we do in life—our habits, behaviors, and environment—either increases or decreases this risk:
Movement Health: Assesses mobility, stability, and functional movement patterns.
Breathing Quality: Evaluates breathing mechanics that impact posture and performance.
Nutritional Awareness: Identifies dietary gaps affecting tissue recovery and inflammation.
Body Composition: Highlights risk factors like weight that add stress to joints.
Physical Activity Levels: Detects sedentary behaviors or overtraining risks.
Injury History: Identifies past injuries that could predispose individuals to future MSDs.
Sleep Quality: Evaluates the impact of poor sleep on recovery and health.
Behavioral Health: Considers stress, mental health, and psychological factors impacting physical wellness.
A Proactive and Systematic Approach to True Risk
Preventing MSDs isn’t about reacting to injuries after they occur. It requires a proactive and systematic approach to identify true risk factors early and address them effectively. Symmio’s ability to highlight true risk makes it a leader in combating the MSK pandemic.
Why Proactive Screening Matters
Most traditional approaches rely on treating injuries or addressing symptoms after they’ve already developed. Symmio’s method focuses on early detection and prevention, helping organizations avoid the costs and downtime associated with workplace injuries. By identifying risks systematically, Symmio empowers employers and wellness professionals to take immediate, targeted action.
Symmio’s Differentiator: Movement Quality and Risk Algorithms
What sets Symmio apart is its focus on movement quality and its proprietary injury risk algorithm, which integrates movement screening data with other wellness domains to create a complete risk profile.
Movement Quality: Symmio evaluates mobility, stability, motor control, and symmetry through evidence-based movement screens. Poor movement quality is a leading predictor of MSDs, and Symmio’s approach uncovers deficits that other programs miss.
Risk Algorithm: Symmio’s proprietary algorithm processes data from its movement screens and other domains—such as behavioral health, sleep, and body composition—to provide a comprehensive risk assessment. This ensures that true high-risk individuals are prioritized for interventions.
By combining these tools, Symmio ensures that high-risk individuals are identified with precision, reducing the likelihood of MSDs and preventing costly injuries like sprains and strains.
The Cost of Sprains and Strains: Why Early Intervention Matters
Sprains and strains are among the most common MSD-related injuries, and their financial toll on businesses is immense. Here’s how these injuries impact organizations, according to the OSHA Safety Pays Calculator:
Direct Costs: A single sprain or strain averages $30,000 in medical expenses and workers’ compensation claims.
Indirect Costs: These include lost productivity, overtime for replacement workers, training costs for new employees, and administrative expenses, often exceeding $70,000.
Break-Even Point: With indirect costs considered, a business with a 10% profit margin would need to generate $1 million in additional revenue to offset the cost of just one sprain or strain injury.
This highlights the critical need for tools like Symmio, which proactively identify high-risk individuals before injuries occur. By targeting those most likely to suffer sprains or strains, Symmio enables employers to save significantly on direct and indirect costs while improving workplace safety and wellness.
Symmio: A Smarter Way to Manage Workplace Wellness
By leveraging its unique focus on movement quality and injury risk algorithms, Symmio provides an all-in-one solution to track, monitor, and improve employee wellness. With its proactive, systematic approach to identifying true risk, Symmio helps employers combat the MSK pandemic, reduce workplace injuries, and foster long-term health and productivity.
Take the Next Step
The MSK pandemic demands a new approach to prevention—one that is proactive, data-driven, and focused on true risk. Symmio is the solution for organizations looking to make a meaningful impact on workplace wellness. Learn how Symmio can help you prevent costly injuries and empower your workforce here.