Applied ergonomics
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Back problems are a major occupational health issue for prehospital emergency care professionals. The goals of this article are to: 1) provide descriptive data about the prevalence and the severity of lower back and upper back disorders in EMTs and paramedics; 2) identify some individual and collective strategies used by EMTs and paramedics to protect their health as they perform prehospital emergency missions; 3) assess the possible effectiveness of strategies in preventing back problems by exploring associations between the use of strategies and the presence and severity of symptoms. ⋯ Preventive strategies should be integrated into specialised training programs for prehospital medical emergency professionals. This approach could also be used in other work settings.