Occupation and Osteoarthrosis of the Hip and Knee: A Register-Based Cohort Study

Abstract

A register-based cohort study was performed to investigate if men and women in certain occupations with high physical workload had increased risks of developing severe symptomatic osteoarthrosis of the hip and knee, resulting in hospital care. The study population consisted of 250,217 people from the 1980 census, in blue-collar occupations, who had reported the same occupation in the 1960 and 1970 censuses. The study population was followed for hospital care for osteoarthrosis of the hip and knee during 1981-1983 by linkage to the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register. Different blue-collar occupations were classified as high or low with regard to exposure to forces acting on the hip and knee and the frequencies of the outcomes were compared. Male farmers, construction workers, firefighters and some food processing workers had an excess risk of hospitalization due to osteoarthrosis of the hip. Male farmers, construction workers and firefighters also had increased risks of osteoarthrosis of the knee. Female mail carriers had an excess risk of osteoarthrosis of the hip, and female cleaners, of osteoarthrosis of the knee. The findings support the hypothesis that heavy physical work load contributes to osteoarthrosis of the hip and knee.

Osteoarthritis and the Tactical Athlete: A Systematic Review

“…However, the magnitude of the observed odds ratios suggests an unclear but possible association with OA. Finally, based on the findings of a single study, 21 the incidences of hip and knee OA appear to be 2.52 to 2.93 times higher, respectively, among firefighters than in nonexposed controls (Table 1). Despite the increased incidence and prevalence of OA observed among tactical-athlete populations, it remains unclear which specific risk factors or occupational exposures are contributing to the observed disparities between tactical athletes and nonexposed controls in the general population.…”

“…This was particularly evident when we reviewed studies that specifically examined these OA outcomes in tactical athlete populations (Table 1). [21][22][23][24][25][26] Active-duty military service members were significantly more likely to experience knee OA, 24 hip OA, 23 and any OA diagnosis regardless of site 22 when compared with nonexposed controls. The disparity between military service members and nonexposed controls was present regardless of sex or age and increased with advancing age (Table 1).…”

“…One group examined the cumulative incidence of knee and hip OA in Swedish firefighters compared with the general population in low-exposure occupations. 21 The remaining researchers either examined the incidence or prevalence of OA in active-duty or veteran military populations [22][23][24][25][26] or examined the prevalence of OA in European countries where national military service is mandatory. [27][28][29][30][31][32] Two studies examined OA incidence rates in active-duty military populations 22,23 and compared them with published reference rates in the general population.…”

“…In the single study 21 that examined OA incidence in firefighters, the results suggested that firefighters were at increased risk for both knee and hip OA, with adjusted risk ratios of 2.93 and 2.52, respectively (Table 1). Active-duty military service members appeared to be at significantly greater risk for any OA diagnosis 22 and for hip OA, 23 regardless of sex or age, in comparison with reference rates in the general population.…”

Assessment of static loads on the locomotion system accompanying work on dairy stock farms

“…The working area consisted of two dairy cowsheds, in which different milking methods were used. OWAS (Ovako Working Posture Analysing System) method and the supporting WinOWAS computer system were employed to analyse all occupational activities generating static loads [45]. This software is available for free online [45].…”