Facts from the most recent WorkCover publication (Soft tissue injury guideline 2008):

• sprains and strains are the most common injury sustained by workers in New South Wales workplaces;

• in 2005/2006 more than 61 per cent of workplace injuries in NSW resulted in sprains and strains at a cost of $348 million. They were the most common type of injury (53%) resulting in permanent impairment of workers and these cost $109 million in permanent impairment payments;

• manual handling was the most common cause of injury (31 %) sustained by workers in NSW workplaces in 2005/2006; and

• the back was the most common body location (26 %) of work place injury and permanent disability (13%) in NSW workers during 2005/2006. 95 % of workers with back injuries resulting in permanent disability had sustained the injury via a sprain or strain.