Lower limb pain among workers: a cross-sectional analysis of the fifth European Working Conditions Survey

Abstract

ObjectiveDevelop a model to predict the prevalence of lower limb pain using indicators of high workplace exposures based on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey, evaluate its impact and explore its significance for work-related health problems.MethodCross-sectional interview data of 35,372 workers from 27 countries of the European Union in 2010 (EU27) were used to develop (20% sample) and validate (80% sample) a logistic regression model for lower limb pain. Independent variables included descriptions of working conditions, assessments of physical and psychosocial exposures at work, and demographic factors. The impact of the model was explored through the amount of lower limb pain cases attributable to work and estimating work absences correlated with lower limb pain.ResultsThe resulting logistic model included ten risks indicators and one preventive factor. The highest odds ratios (OR) corresponded to “tiring or painful positions” OR 2.0, 99% confidence interval (99% CI) 1.9–2.2, and “not satisfied with level of working conditions in the job” (OR 1.6, 99% CI 1.5–1.7). The prevalence of work-related lower limb pain was 16.5% for men and 15.8% for women for the 27 countries of the European Union. Estimates based on the developed model revealed more than 34 million cases of work-related lower limb pain, where four physical risks explained about 22 million cases. In addition, more than 3 million days of absence from work in 2010 could be attributed to lower limb pain.ConclusionLower limb pain is highly prevalent among the European workforce and work exposures are a major contributing factor. Effective workplace interventions should aim at improving working conditions at workplaces with multiple risks.

A framework for studying risk factors for lower extremity musculoskeletal discomfort in nurses

“…Researchers have provided models at various levels of detail and targeting specific parts of the body to guide research into MSK symptom development (Armstrong et al 1993; Barr and Barbe 2002;Bongers et al 1993; National Academy of Sciences, Panel on Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Workplace Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education 2001). While Garcia, Graf, and Laubli (2017) developed a multi-factor statistical model for lower limb pain in a general working population, there do not appear to be any models specifically developed to guide lower extremity MSK symptom research in nurses.…”

Muscular and Vascular Issues Induced by Prolonged Standing With Different Work–Rest Cycles With Active or Passive Breaks

“…Approximately 50% of the workforce in the European Union reported working in a standing posture most of their workday (Graf, Krieger, Läubli, & Martin, 2015). Prolonged standing work has been related to several musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including low-back pain (Coenen et al, 2017; Gallagher, Campbell, & Callaghan, 2014; Waters & Dick, 2014), ankle and foot pain (Messing, Tissot, & Stock, 2008; Werner, Gell, Hartigan, Wiggermann, & Keyserling, 2010), knee pain (Cham, Redfern, 2001), and lower-leg discomfort (Brownie & Martin, 2015; Garcia, Graf, & Laubli, 2017; Garcia, Laubli, & Martin, 2015; Garcia, Wall, Steinhilber, Laubli, & Martin, 2016). It has also been associated with cardiovascular problems, as reviewed by Waters and Dick (2014), such as varicose veins (Tabatabaeifar et al, 2015; Tüchsen, Hannerz, Burr, & Krause, 2005), and leg swelling (Chester, Rys, & Konz, 2002; Lin, Chen, & Cho, 2012).…”

Associations of objectively measured total duration and maximum bout length of standing at work with lower-extremity pain intensity: a 2-year follow-up of construction and healthcare workers

“…Musculoskeletal disorders are among the major reasons for years lived with disability. Approximately 30% of the European working population report lower-extremity discomfort [1][2][3], and the prevalence of work-related lower-extremity pain (LEP) for these workers is estimated to be 16% [3]. In the Norwegian working population in 2016, 29% reported LEP and 1/3 of these attributed their pain to work-related factors [4].…”