| Abstract: | Health education is one of the most popular weapons against low back pain and other work-related musculoskeletal disorders. It is used for both primary and secondary prevention to teach healthy life and work habits and to improve body mechanics in order to promote and maintain health. It is assumed that with a few hours of teaching, people adopt new working postures and movements, make ergonomic changes in their environment, and start exercising. The most common teaching method is lecturing, with visual aids. The practical session is often short. In evaluations shortly after the sessions, participants have been satisfied, their knowledge has increased, and in some cases the number of injuries or sick leaves has decreased. Follow-ups have shown that the health situation has returned to its former state within two years. In health education, aimed at preventing musculoskeletal injuries, the principle should be ‘learning by doing’. Instead of lecturing, the programmes should have a comprehensive approach, which includes the improvement of the live situation and environment, and involves the entire community. Three programmes (the prevention of data entry operators' neck and upper limb disorders, early rehabilitation courses for forest workers, and workers guidelines to self-help) are presented and the teaching methods and contents analysed with special interests in the didactic methods and in participation of workers. |
