Although acute traumatic injuries (ATIs) and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) were relatively common among those exposed to the September 11, 2001 (9/11), terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and in Shanksville, PA, relatively few persons have received treatment from the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program for these conditions. This paper is part of a clinical best practices series for the management of persons with WTC-related physical and mental health conditions, and it focuses on ATIs and MSDs. It provides prevalence estimates for the ATIs and MSDs experienced by members enrolled in the WTC Health Program and offers diagnostic and treatment best practices on those ATIs/MSDs that were most common.
Keywords: 9/11; World Trade Center; carpal tunnel syndrome; cervicalgia; injury; low back pain; traumatic brain injury.