*1.2. Assessment Methods*

There are numerous methods for assessing musculoskeletal disorders. These can be classified into three main groups: direct, semi-direct and indirect (Table 1 [8]).


**Table 1.** Types of MSD assessment methods [8].

Of the three groups above, the most economical methods are the indirect ones since they are based solely on completing questionnaires. The opposite is true in the other two cases as software licenses are required and sensors have to be purchased. Direct methods are the most accurate because they provide virtually automatic information. In terms of complexity, direct and indirect methods stand out—in the former because the use of sensors can be a nuisance for the worker and, in the latter, because of the subsequent statistical analysis [8].

When selecting a method for a particular study, it is advisable to consider several criteria (cost, accuracy, complexity, application time, etc.) and to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of each.
