Musculoskeletal injuries in salespersons: A survey study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Salespersons job includes prolonged standing and manual handling such as lifting, carrying, and arranging objects, also pushing or pulling heavy objects. Application of force, high repetition, and awkward working posture are the physical risk factors of musculoskeletal injuries and exposure to these leads to a series of disorders. AIM: The study aimed to find out the prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in salespersons. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Stores selling sports products (Decathlon stores), cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional analysis conducted over 6 months. Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional ethics committee and the store committee for the study. A total of 100 salespersons working in stores selling sports products were included in the study. The participants were selected based on specific inclusion criteria, which included being between the ages of 18 and 45 years and having a minimum of 1 year of experience working as a salesperson. Demographic data and general characteristics of the participants working as salespersons were obtained, and later the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was administered to the participants through online forms. The responses were recorded, and descriptive analysis was done using SPSS software. RESULTS: In this study involving 100 participants, it was found that 87% of them experienced musculoskeletal injuries, leading to pain and discomfort. The most common areas affected were the low back (61%), ankles/feet (42%), knees (36%), and neck (19%). CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries among salespersons. Low back was the region most affected, followed by ankles/feet, knees, and neck.