Ergonomic risk factors and risk exposure level of nursing tasks: association with work-related musculoskeletal disorders in nurses

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in nurses in Xinjiang, China, to analyze the influencing factors for the development of WMSDs, and to provide a reference for the prevention and treatment of WMSDs in nurses. Methods: Stratified cluster sampling was used to randomly select 8 422 nurses in 8 tertiary hospitals and 4 secondary hospitals in Xinjiang from January to October, 2015. A questionnaire survey was performed to investigate the prevalence of WMSDs in nurses from departments of internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, emergency, and intensive care and operating rooms and analyze related influencing factors. Results: A total of 3 000 questionnaires were distributed, and 2 851 questionnaires were returned, resulting in a recovery rate of 95.00%. In the nurses who participated in the survey, the prevalence of WMSDs was 78.58%. As for different body parts, the prevalence of WMSDs was 63.36% in the waist, 61.79% in the neck, 52.52% in the shoulder, 41.83% in the back, 35.56% in the knees, 33.35% in the ankles, 26.02% in the wrists, 23.41% in the hip, and 17.62% in the elbows. There were significant differences in the prevalence of WMSDs across the nurses with different ages and working years (χ2=28.29 and 27.73, both P<0.01) , and the prevalence of WMSDs tended to increase with the increasing age and working years (χ2=22.94 and 17.56, both P<0.01) . The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sex, working years, intensive care/emergency, outpatient service, surgical anesthesia, weekly working hours, physical condition, and fatigue in work were risk factors for WMSDs in nurses. Conclusion: In the nurses in Xinjiang, the prevalence of WMSDs in the neck, shoulder, back, and waist is high, and nurses with different ages, working years, departments, sexes, physical conditions, and weekly working hours have varying degrees of risk of WMSDs.

Objective To investigate the status of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in nurses working in the hospitals in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Methods The prevalence of WMSDs since working and in the previous 12 months was evaluated using self-administrated modified musculoskeletal questionnaire based on North European questionnaire. In this cross-sectional study, 6674 nurses involved in the nursing profession were selected from 16 hospitals using the stratified cluster sampling method. Results The most commonly affected regions by WMSDs were lower back, neck, shoulder, and back, with an annual prevalence of 62.71%, 59.77%, 49.66%, and 39.50%, respectively. Statistical differences were noticed in the annual prevalence of WMSDs in those with different ages (P < 0.01) and working durations (P < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the following risk factors were associated with the prevalence of WMSDs: working duration of ≥6 years; working in the Emergency Department, Department of Anesthesia, or Supply Room; night shift of more than once, working duration of >40 hrs per week; poor health status; and feeling of fatigue. Rest time of >10 min and no history of WMSDs were the protective factors of WMSDs. Conclusions Shift and working/rest duration was closely related to WMSDs.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) in nurses, and to explore the association of work style and physical exercise with WMSD in this professional group. In this study, a cross-sectional survey design was applied. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 692 nurses in 5 municipal hospitals, in the period August-October 2015. The survey included personal information, lifestyle, physical exercise and symptoms of WMSD. Chi2 test and logistic regression were used to identify the risk factors of WMSD. The prevalence of WMSD was 84% in all parts of the body in the previous year, with the highest prevalence in the neck (68.2%), followed by waist (67.6%) and shoulder (54.6%). Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that physical exercise, night shifts and staying up late were associated with WMSD in nurses. The lack of exercise, night shifts and a tendency to stay up significantly increased the risk of WMSD (p < 0.05). The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among the municipal hospital nursing staff is high. An elevated risk of WMSD is observed in nurses who do not do exercises, work shifts and stay up late. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(1):15-24.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a matter of worrisome for both staff and employers. The phrase “musculoskeletal disorders” refers to a group of ailments that injure the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and joints and are frequently accompanied by pain, discomfort, and incapacity. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in nurses and to assess the perception of risk factors which are associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders in nurses. Methods: A cross-sectional research study was conducted at Civil Hospital and Dow University Hospital Karachi. The data were collected from a sample of 336 nurses using non-probability convenience sampling. Results: The result of this study showed that the lower back region was the most popular with 29.2% of the respondents experiencing pain, followed by neck and shoulder (21.2% each), upper back (16.6%), wrist (6.6%), knees (2.5%), thumb (1.1%), ankles (1.1%) and hips (0.5%). The musculoskeletal disorders affect both male and female similarly. Conclusions: It was concluded that hospital nurses are highly susceptible to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The lower back is the most commonly affected body part. Factors such as prolonged standing, awkward postures, and the same task over and over again as contributing factors to work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Rice farming is considered the most crucial industry in India, where millions of farmers suffer from LBP. The present study's primary objectives were to evaluate the prevalence of low back pain among India's rice farmers and determine the relationship between low back pain and ergonomic risk factors and psychosocial factors encountered by the farmers. Socio-demographics, ergonomics risk factors and psychosocial factors that cause LBP among rice farmers were examined. Modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and Oswestry LBP Questionnaire were administered among the farmers to evaluate the LBP. Univariate analysis was done to find out the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals among the farmers. The primary findings from this study regarding the psychosocial factors, such as perceived inadequacy of income (84.7%), job demands (78.1%), work demand targets specific productivity (76.5%), rigidity in work methods (75.3%), monotony at work (73.2 %), have a relationship with LBP. The results also revealed that the relationship between the low back pain and ergonomic risk factors, such as repetitiveness (OR- 4.215; 95% CI- 2.551-6.965), working in awkward posture (OR- 85.82; 95% CI- 43.134-170.77), lifting loads (OR- 0.281; 95% CI- 0.125-0.324), pulling loads (OR- 0.274; 95% CI- 0.173-0.434), showed significant relationship with LBP in the univariate analysis. The prevalence of LBP among rice farmers connected with ergonomic and psychosocial risk factors. The awkward posture, MMH (lifting and carrying) are the main causative factors of LBP.

Introduction: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) remain a significant occupational health issue across various industries, particularly in manufacturing, where ergonomic risk factors (ERFs) are prevalent. These disorders can lead to long-term discomfort, disability, and reduced productivity, making the identification and mitigation of ERFs critical for safeguarding workers' health. This study aimed to determine the prominent ERFs and the prevalence of WMSDs among workers in a solvent manufacturer in Shah Alam. Materials and methods: This study was conducted among 130 workers of a solvent manufacturer. The selection of workstations was done by a stratified sampling method. A self-administered Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) was used to assess musculoskeletal discomfort among workers. In addition, Initial Ergonomic Assessment (IERA) was performed in all four departments to identify the prominent ERFs among the workers. The obtained data was analyzed using descriptive analysis, Chi-Square and Multiple Logistic Regression Results: Most of the participants were in the age range of 31 to 40 years old. Among the participants, the prominent ERFs were awkward posture, static and sustained work posture, forceful exertion and repetitive motion. The prevalence of WMSDs was 58.5%, with the highest was on the neck (40.8%) followed by right shoulder (28.5%), upper back (17.7%) and left shoulder (11.5%) respectively. The following ERFs were found to have a statistically significant association (p&lt;0.05) with WMSDs: awkward posture (p= 0.000, OR=27.133), static and sustained work posture (p= 0.004, OR=2.985), forceful exertion (p= 0.033, OR=0.394) and repetitive motion (p= 0.033, OR=2.538). Conclusion: This study identified four prominent ERFs with neck being the most affected area with WMSDs among workers in the solvent manufacturing factory. The ERFs were highly associated with the prevalence of WMSDs which shows that it is critical to conduct further investigation and changes on the working methods to decrease the exposure level. An immediate intervention can be executed such as conducting ergonomics awareness training on proper working postures on a regular basis to ensure the reduction of ERFs among the workforces. It is recommended to use Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) to evaluate the exposure of individual workers to ERFs associated with upper extremity WMSDs.

Nurses are considered the group of healthcare workers with the highest prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMDs). The most common physical demands of nursing that have been found to contribute to WRMDs include lifting, working in awkward postures, stooping, and repetitive actions. Occupational therapists (OT) have a significant role in preventing WRMDs. The purpose of this study was to explore that magnitude of the WRMDs among nurses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Exploring the role of OT in increasing awareness and prevention of WRMDs among nurses. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional questionnaire design. Data was collected using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Nurses at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, KSA, were the target of this study. Ninety-four nurses participated in this study. Most of them (63.8%) indicated that they experienced discomfort during the last 12 months in their lower back, followed by shoulders (50%), and upper back (48.9%). Twenty-four (25.5%) of the participants who indicated experiencing low back discomfort, also indicated that this discomfort reduced their work activity, and this same number indicated that the discomfort reduced their leisure activity. Nurses are at high risk for WRMDs. Occupational therapists have an important role to play in prevention. Measures should be taken by hospital administrators, the rehabilitation departments, as well as the nurses themselves to manage this global problem. Special measures should be implemented to make sure that they work in ergonomically appropriate environment, and implement proper body mechanics to limit their chances of encountering WRMDs.

Ergonomics in flexible work culture is crucial for ensuring employee safety and productivity, especially in Industry 4.0 enterprises where human-machine interactions are complex. The interconnected ecosystem of Enterprise 4.0 enables seamless information sharing across production stages, facilitating task monitoring and continuous ergonomic assessment. Research indicates that ergonomic interventions, such as awareness training and workplace redesign, enhance efficiency and save time. Moreover, considering environmental and cognitive factors is vital for maintaining employee productivity. This study aims to design a method for modelling ergonomic risk factors in Industry 4.0, identifying key elements of ergonomic culture that impact employee safety and efficiency in complex production environments. The proposed method comprises three stages: (1) a systematic literature review using the PRISMA method to identify existing approaches to modelling ergonomic risks, (2) structuring and modelling ergonomic risk factors tailored to Industry 4.0, and (3) developing standards and recommendations for implementation across diverse industries. Dynamic modelling of ergonomic risks addresses the evolving synergy between employees and automated systems, enhancing decision-making in smart workspaces. By integrating technical, organizational, and ergonomic factors, this approach supports sustainable management and resource optimization in Enterprise 4.0. It also accounts for employees’ psychophysical capabilities, improving workplace safety and productivity. Equal consideration of ergonomic and organizational factors during management strategy development positively influences enterprise performance. The research contributes tools for dynamic ergonomic risk management, aligning with lean management principles and fostering innovative, employee-centered solutions for sustainable development.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a major cause of morbidity in nursing. They include a range of signs and symptoms that can affect the quality of performance of work tasks and quality of life. Workplace risk factors can generally be divided into biomechanical (physical), psychosocial, sociocultural, individual (personal), organisational, and environmental risk factors. The risk factors are numerous and interact positively and negatively with each other. There are various methods and tools for assessing work-related risk exposure or risk factors in the workplace. In general, the methods for risk assessment of work-related musculoskeletal disorders can be categorised as self-report, (expert) observation, direct measurement, and remote sensing. When selecting assessment tools, we must consider their measurement characteristics as well as financial and time constraints, the characteristics of the researchers, the clients, and the environment. The assessment of risk factors forms the basis for the development of intervention measures to reduce and/or prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The intervention framework usually consists of a sequence of several steps. Given the dynamic nature of change in work-related musculoskeletal disorders, this process is iterative and continuous and is likely to be most effective when individualised. Healthy employees in a well-functioning work environment should be the goal in every workplace in the healthcare system.

Background. Ergonomic risk factors in the workplace expose gastroenterologists and radiologists to Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs). This study aims to compare the frequency of musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic risk factors in these two groups of physicians. &#x0D; Materials and methods. This descriptive study was conducted on 360 physicians (radiologists and gastroenterologists) at the 5 University and teaching hospitals in Tehran. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was detected using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. The Workplace Ergonomic Risk Assessment (WERA) method was used to estimate and evaluate the ergonomic risk factors in each physician. Finally, the frequency of musculoskeletal disorders was compared between the two groups using statistical tests. &#x0D; Results. The prevalence of shoulder (70% vs 36.66%; OR=4.03 (2.59–6.25); p&lt;0.001) and hand pain (45% vs 30%; OR=2.78 (1.80–4.31); p&lt;0.001) among radiologists was significantly higher than that among gastroenterologists. In contrast, gastroenterologists had a significantly higher prevalence of upper (65% vs 38.33%; OR=2.98 (1.94–4.58); p&lt;0.001) and lower back pain (67.2% vs 49.44%; OR=2.55 (2.06–3.17); p&lt;0.001) than radiologists. The mean WERA final score, the leg score, forceful score, contact stress, and task duration in radiologists were higher than that of gastroenterologists and the back score in gastroenterologists was higher than radiologists (p&lt;0.05).&#x0D; Limitations. In this study, the psychological factors affecting musculoskeletal disorders have not been investigated.&#x0D; Conclusion. WRMSDs had a relatively high prevalence among radiologists (shoulder and hand pain) and gastroenterologists (upper and lower back). Due to the impact of ergonomic risk factors on these disorders in the workplace, ergonomic interventions should be implemented to reduce these risk factors in occupational settings.

Introduction: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) pose significant health risks to office workers, particularly bank employees who perform combined computer and paperwork tasks. However, ergonomic assessments in Iran's banking sector remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate ergonomic risk factors in workstations and determine the prevalence and severity of WMSDs among Refah Bank employees in Shiraz. Materials and Methods: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024, involving 77 stratified sampled employees from bank branches. Workstations were assessed using a researcher-designed checklist and the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) method. The prevalence of WMSDs over the past 12 months was measured using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire across nine body regions, while symptom severity was quantified via the Body Map Scale (0–5). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics and inferential tests (Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis; P &lt; 0.05). Results: Findings revealed an alarmingly high WMSD prevalence of 89.6%, predominantly affecting the neck (76.6%), shoulders, and lower back ( 70.1%). A significant association was found between the number of painful body regions and both age and work experience (P&lt; 0.05), with increasing age and tenure linked to greater involvement of body areas. The mean ROSA score (7.1 ± 4.56) indicated high ergonomic risk, particularly for input devices and monitors. Conclusion: The high prevalence of WMSDs and elevated ROSA scores among bank employees underscore the urgent need for ergonomic interventions targeting this occupational group. Such interventions should encompass workstation redesign and employee training. Future longitudinal studies should evaluate intervention efficacy and incorporate psychosocial factors.

BackgroundAnesthesiologists are vulnerable to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) due to sustained repetitive movements and awkward postures. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of WMSDs among anesthesiologists and to evaluate its association with ergonomic risk factors.MethodsA convenience sample of 380 Egyptian anesthesiologists were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study through an electronic questionnaire. Data were collected from May to August 2022 and involved questions about participants’ demographic, health, and work-related characteristics; the ergonomic risks and perceived hazards; and the musculoskeletal complaints during the past 12 months and 7 days - using Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analyses were used to estimate the prevalence of MSD and identify its determinants in the studied sample.ResultsA total of 215 anesthesiologists were included in this study, with a 56.8% response rate, 66% males with an average age of 38 (± 0.7) years. 21% were resident physicians, 47% were specialists, and 32% were consultants. The 12-month prevalence of MSD among anesthesiologists was 71.6% (95% CI: 65.6– 77.7%). Multivariate analysis showed that the main determinants of MSD among the studied sample were age of 45-years and older (OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 1.21–8.52, p = 0.018), regular physical exercise (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.10–0.65, p = 0.005), insufficient rest time between procedures (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.15–4.41, p = 0.018), and three or more awkward postures of the trunk (OR: 3.55, 95% CI: 1.43–8.82, p = 0.006).ConclusionsThe study highlights a high prevalence of WMSDs among Egyptian anesthesiologists, linked to advancing age, lack of regular exercise, insufficient rest between procedures, and frequent awkward postures. Addressing these ergonomic risk factors through targeted workplace interventions is crucial for promoting the overall well-being of anesthesiologists and ensuring the provision of safe anesthesia services.

'Workstyle' can be described as a mechanism by which ergonomic and psychosocial risk factors interact to affect the development, exacerbation and/or maintenance of upper limb pain and functional limitations. Workstyle is associated with the increase in the work demand. In today's life use of computer in the workplace is very common and it causes to increase the work demand among the workers who are working with computer. As work demand increase, according to the characteristic of workstyle, risk of the development of musculoskeletal disorders also increased. This study aimed at to findout the association between ergonomics risk factors, workstyle and WRMSD. Two hundred IT professionals participated in this study. Result revealed that most prevalenet body regions were lower back (20%), Upper back (16%) and shoulder (14%). Study result says that there is a positive association between workstyle score with musculoskeletal pain (r=0.85). Also it revealed that posture and regional pain is associated (r=0.62), per day use of computer and musculoskeletal pain (r=0.46), micro breaks and pain (r=0.87) and productivity and the pain (r=0.95). This study further validates these observations and extends support for the assessment of working postures and workstyle behaviors during the design of WMSD treatment.

This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), ergonomic risks, and psychosocial factors among 99 office workers at an industrial company. Participants, aged 20–50 years with minimum one year of experience, were selected using census sampling. Exclusion criteria comprised history of musculoskeletal disorders, fractures, hand surgery, major systemic diseases, pregnancy, menstruation, or recent hospitalization. Data collection utilized the extended nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and rapid office strain assessment (ROSA). Results demonstrated 80.81% WMSDs prevalence, most commonly affecting neck (58.6%), lower back (52.5%), and shoulders (37.4%). The mean ROSA score of 5.40 ± 1.27 indicated suboptimal workstation ergonomics. Significant associations were identified between chair height and knee/shoulder/upper back pain (p < 0.01), and between job stress and WMSDs across all body regions (p < 0.05). The findings emphasize the necessity of comprehensive interventions targeting ergonomic improvements, postural correction, and stress management to mitigate WMSDs risks in office environments.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-30155-6.

BackgroundThe dramatic increase in visual display units (VDU) in the workplace over a 20-year period is linked to the increased prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).ObjectivesThe objective of our study was to compare ergonomic risk factors and work-related psychosocial factors in VDU users with and without MSD.MethodsParticipants, with and without MSD, working with VDU for more than 4 h a day completed the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model and Over-commitment Questionnaire. The workstation of each participant was assessed for ergonomic risk factors using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA).ResultsSixty-eight VDU users with and 68 without MSDs participated. The workstation ergonomic risk factors as measured with the ROSA were similar for the two groups: 4.5 ± 1.0 for the MSD group and 4.3 ± 0.8 for the reference group (p = 0.10). The work-related psychosocial factors, namely over-commitment, were higher in the MSD group (14.9 ± 3.1) than in the reference group (13.8 ± 3.4; p = 0.041).ConclusionsAs over-commitment is an indication of intrinsic factors and personal characteristics, the significant difference between the MSD group’s over-commitment score and that of the reference group suggests that interventions to empower individuals are needed.Clinical implicationsPhysiotherapists should only adjust ergonomic workstation risk factors when established as contributory to MSD, and should be cognisant of work-related or individual psychosocial factors that may impact the patient with MSD. The use of ergonomic advice to patients with MSD should be performed with caution, taking all the work place risk factors for MSD into account.