O-148 Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention Practices by Massage Therapists

Introduction Massage therapy involves pervasive ergonomic hazards, and most massage therapists (MTs) report experiencing adverse musculoskeletal health issues. Various barriers and facilitators can impact the efficacy of safety programs. Methods Baseline surveys were completed by MTs throughout the US recruited through two continuing education courses (n=8,305) to determine demographic characteristics, self-care behaviors, and self-reported musculoskeletal signs and symptoms. A subset (n=209) participated in a longitudinal study to characterize individual and organizational barriers and facilitators that influence the implementation of self-care techniques designed to reduce musculoskeletal health issues. Results 31.5% (n=2,615) reported that they always or often experienced musculoskeletal signs and symptoms due to work in the preceding month. An increased odds of this were associated with female massage therapists, hours per week giving massages, working in medical or spa/salon/franchise settings, and poorer health. In the same model, lower odds were observed with more minutes taken to warm up on days giving a massage. MTs who reported time as a barrier implemented 0.9 fewer self-care items despite wanting to make changes (p=0.003) and 1.4 fewer self-care items when management was identified as a barrier (p<0.001). Only 277 MTs (3.3%) stated they notified their employer about their musculoskeletal signs and symptoms. Discussion Massage therapists commonly experience musculoskeletal signs and symptoms due to their work. They report knowledge of and desire to implement behaviors to prevent injury but face individual and organizational barriers. Conclusion Our findings show that organizational factors play a critical role in workplace safety, which can be used to improve working conditions faced by MTs.