Investigation of postural edema in the lower extremities of traffic control workers

Ana Paula Nunes Pereira Brito,Etria Rodrigues,Denise Loureiro Vianna,Susi Mary De Souza Fernandes

doi:10.1590/jvb.2013.055

Ana Paula Nunes Pereira Brito, Etria Rodrigues + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/jvb.2013.055

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence of postural edema and investigate whether working posture - sitting down or standing up - affect its frequency. METHODS: Sixteen traffic control agents were assessed by water displacement volumetry and the results were analyzed in two groups, depending on working posture. Those who worked standing up for more than 4 hours were allocated to the SU group and those who worked sitting down for more than 4 hours were allocated to the SD group. Each worker was assessed before and after their working shift for three consecutive days. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and the test of equality of two proportions. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. The assessment showed that members of both groups had postural edema of the lower extremities (p ≤ 0.001). RESULTS: When the frequency of postural edema was compared across groups, a trend was observed for greater edema formation in the SU group than in the SD group, although without statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that traffic control agents suffer postural edema after 4 hours working in either of the postures investigated although with a predominance of edema formation among those who work standing up.

Highlights

The workplace can be a significant cause of deaths, diseases and incapacity for a considerable number of workers[1,2] related to risks inherent to working environment[3]
While postural edema (PE) can affect healthy individuals, it is considered a primary indicator of functional decompensation of the venous system, which can lead to the emergence of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) of the lower extremities (LE)
In order to evaluate the difference in distribution of edema between the two groups, a variable denominated Greatest Difference was calculated by subtracting the smallest measurement before starting a shift from the largest measurement taken

Summary

Introduction

The workplace can be a significant cause of deaths, diseases and incapacity for a considerable number of workers[1,2] related to risks inherent to working environment[3]. Postural edema (PE) is a significant clinical condition that members of the working population can suffer if they remain standing or seated for periods longer than 4 hours. While PE can affect healthy individuals, it is considered a primary indicator of functional decompensation of the venous system, which can lead to the emergence of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) of the LE. Chronic venous insufficiency is a disease of the venous system that can cause complications with negative impact on people’s lives[7,9]. In Brazil, CVI is the 14th most common cause of worker absenteeism[6]

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Conclusion