Abstract
BackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of work-related sick leave and incur substantial socioeconomic costs. With the aging of our society and employees, the problem is exacerbating, and prevention is becoming increasingly important. According to previous studies, exposure to awkward postures, such as overhead work, is associated with musculoskeletal problems.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the current prevalence of employees who work in awkward postures, specifically overhead, stratified by age, gender and occupation in the context of the 2018 BIBB/BAuA Employment Survey and to analyze associations between awkward working postures, in particular overhead work, and pain in the shoulder region.MethodThe study is based on secondary data from the German 2018 BIBB/BAuA Employment Survey. We have included 14,327 of the 20,012 employees aged < 67 years who work at least 35 h per week who took part in the survey. The classification of participants in occupational groups is based on the Blossfeld classification. The multivariate analysis was conducted by applying robust Poisson regression models adjusted block by block to obtain the relation between the self-reported frequency of working in awkward postures, in particular overhead work, and the occurrence of arm pain and neck and shoulder pain. Prevalence ratios (PR) are reported as effect estimates.Results12.7% of participants indicated that they are often exposed to awkward postures at work; 5.0% stated they often performed overhead work. The majority of these employees worked in agricultural, unskilled and skilled manual occupations. The crude prevalence is 17.4% for arm pain and 48.4% for neck and shoulder pain. If subjects reported that they often performed overhead work, the risk of arm pain increased by 18% (PR 1.18, CI 1.04–1.34, final model).ConclusionWorking in awkward postures, especially overhead work, is a risk factor for upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. The development of prevention strategies should focus on the workforce in agricultural, unskilled and skilled manual occupations.
Highlights
Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of work-related sick leave and incur substantial socioeconomic costs
Information provided by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) shows that Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) affected a large percentage of employees at work in the last 12 months
During the 2006 Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)/BAuA Employment Survey, 14.3% of subjects reported that they often work in awkward postures; this number increased to 16.6% in 2012 [25]
Summary
Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of work-related sick leave and incur substantial socioeconomic costs. With the aging of our society and employees, the problem is exacerbating, and prevention is becoming increasingly important. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are a relevant topic in workplaces. They are the most common reason for sick leave in the workforce (Germany: 21.9% in 2018) and lead to tremendous costs (loss of production: €18.5 billion, loss of gross value added: €31.7 billion/2018 in Germany) [1]. Due to later retirement ages and demographic change, it is assumed that musculoskeletal disorders in workplaces will become an even more common problem in future [2]. There is a significant relation between disorders of the lower back and shoulders and high physical workloads. Around 46% of employees reported lower back complaints; 48.5% of employees reported neck and shoulder complaints [3]
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