Occupational polyneuropathies in female greenhouse workers and milkmaids

Abstract

Introduction. Occupational polyneuropathy of the upper extremities, associated with the effects of physical overload, occurs quite often in agricultural workers and is a typical disease requiring rehabilitation measures.
 The study aims to research the clinical features of occupational pathology and comorbidity of occupational polyneuropathy in female agricultural workers to improve the effectiveness of rehabilitation.
 Materials and methods. The authors have studied the features of occupational pathology and the prevalence of common diseases in two groups of female agricultural workers who were diagnosed with occupational polyneuropathy from the effects of physical overload: milkmaids (50 people) and greenhouse workers (56 people). In these groups, all the subjects are women.
 Results. Despite the significant difference in labor in livestock and crop production, in their professional activities, both groups of female workers had a combined effect of several harmful production factors, such as stereotypical work movements, static loads on their hands, causing the development of professional polyneuropathy from physical overload. In the examined groups, radiculopathy of the lumbosacral level prevailed among the concomitant occupational diseases of milkmaids (60%), pathology of the musculoskeletal system prevailed in greenhouse workers (62.5%). Of the common diseases, female workers had ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, dorsopathies and deforming osteoarthritis of various localizations.
 Limitations. At agricultural enterprises with a different technology of work (poultry farms, field work in a hot climate), the nature of occupational pathology in workers may differ significantly from that described in the article.
 Conclusions. These features of comorbidity should be taken into account when planning measures for medical and professional rehabilitation of patients.
 Ethics. This study does not require the submission of the conclusion of the Biomedical ethics committee or other documents.