The concurrence of musculoskeletal pain and associated work-related factors: a cross sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundSeveral recent studies have described the presence of musculoskeletal complaints, presenting evidence that multisite musculoskeletal pain (MP) is more often present than single-site musculoskeletal pain. However, less is known about determinants of this multimorbidity, particularly, concerning the role of occupational factors and, mainly, what determines single or multisite pain. This study described the associations between pain in different body sites and investigated related factors to MP in workers from Brazil.MethodsA total of 1070 workers (228 women and 842 men), from urban cleaning services and from shoe manufacturers, participated in this cross sectional study (response 97 %). Interviewer-administered questionnaire included sociodemographic factors, physical and psychosocial work demands, leisure-time activities and musculoskeletal pain which was presence of pain in previous seven days, considering eight body sites and MP, the sum score of all painful sites, varying 0–8. A factor analysis was performed that captured the nine variables of physical exposure into two latent factors. Associations of pain between different body sites were assessed. Cox regression analyses, presenting the prevalence ratio (PR), showed the related factors to MP.ResultsIn the previous seven days, 30 % of workers had MP. For all body sites, comorbidity ranged from 72 % to 91 %. Having pain in one body site is associated with pain in other site and the associations between proximal sites were stronger than between more distal sites. High exposure to manual material handling and awkward postures (PR = 1.5, 95 % CI 1.1–2.0), job strain (PR = 1.2, 95 % CI 1.0–1.6), and low social support (PR = 1.3, 95 % CI 1.0–1.7) and being woman (PR = 1.7, 95 % CI 1.3–2.3) were associated with MP. Risk factors for single–site pain and for subsequent musculoskeletal comorbidity were very similar, suggesting an additive effect of risk factors.ConclusionsMost workers reported MP that was associated with several work-related factors. The findings support the idea that multisite pain is a continuum of single-site pain, maintained by exposure to several risk factors, rather than the result of a specific risk factor that initiates the multisite pain but not single-site pain. Workplace interventions are needed to decrease the number of pain sites, in order to improve the worker’s health.

Associations between sport participation and knee symptoms: a cross-sectional study involving 3053 undergraduate students

“…First, undergraduates with current knee symptoms/injuries have an increased risk of having pain in other body regions (e.g., neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist/fingers, upper back, lower back, hip/thigh and ankle). This finding concurred with previous research that workers with knee pain often experienced other concurrent musculoskeletal pain (ranging from 27.1 to 45.0% depending on the body region) [32]. Similarly, high prevalence of co-existing knee and neck symptoms have been reported in a general adult population [33].…”

Erratum to: The concurrence of musculoskeletal pain and associated work-related factors: a cross sectional study

“…After publication of the original article [1] it was brought to our attention that author Silvana Maria Santos Pataro was incorrectly included as Silvana Maria da Silva Pataro. The correct spelling of the name is included in the author list of this erratum.…”

Effect of informal employment on the relationship between psychosocial work risk factors and musculoskeletal pain in Central American workers

“…Other studies had samples between a few hundred18–21 27–31 33 up to about 1000 individuals22 24 32 on a diversity of occupations (eg, agricultural,20 30 extraction/manufacturing,24 27 31 33 factory workers,18 25 29 healthcare,19 34 education,26 craft workers,21 office workers28 or mixed22). In these studies, the highest MSP prevalence is reported for LBP (be that 7-day estimates: 17%25 and 18%26; or 12-month estimates: 18%,26 30%,25 44%22 and 57%33) and the upper extremities (19% for 7-day estimates23 and 32% for 12-month estimates24). …”