Introduction
Identifying risk factors associated with the development of work-related neck pain in office workers is necessary to facilitate the development of prevention strategies that aim to ...minimise this prevalent and costly health problem. The aim of this systematic review is to identify individual worker (e.g., lifestyle activity, muscular strength, and posture) and workplace (e.g., ergonomics and work environment) physical factors associated with the development of non-specific neck pain in office workers.
Methods
Studies from 1980 to 2016 were identified by an electronic search of Pubmed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Psychlnfo and Proquest databases. Two authors independently screened search results, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the epidemiological appraisal instrument (EAI). A random effect model was used to estimate the risk of physical factors for neck pain.
Results
Twenty papers described the findings of ten prospective cohort studies and two randomized controlled trials. Low satisfaction with the workplace environment (pooled RR 1.28; CI 1.07–1.55), keyboard position close to the body pooled RR 1.46; (CI 1.07–1.99), low work task variation RR 1.27; CI (1.08–1.50) and self-perceived medium/high muscular tension (pooled RR 2.75/1.82; CI 1.60 /1.14–4.72/2.90) were found to be risk factors for the development of neck pain.
Conclusions
This review found evidence for a few number of physical risk factors for the development of neck pain, however, there was also either limited or conflicting factors. Recommendations for future studies evaluating risk factors are reported and how these may contribute to the prevention of neck pain in office workers.
Objective
To identify risk factors for the development of interfering neck pain in office workers including an examination of the interaction effects between potential risk factors.
Background
The ...1-year incidence of neck pain in office workers is reported as the highest of all occupations. Identifying risk factors for the development of neck pain in office workers is therefore a priority to direct prevention strategies.
Methods
Participants included 214 office workers without neck pain from two cultures. A battery of measures evaluating potential individual and workplace risk factors were administered at baseline, and the incidence of interfering neck pain assessed monthly for 12 months. Survival analysis was used to identify relationships between risk factors and the development of interfering neck pain.
Results
One-year incidence was 1.93 (95% CI 1.41, 2.64) per 100 person months. Factors increasing the risk of developing interfering neck pain were older age, female gender, increased sitting hours, higher job strain, and stress. A neutral thorax sitting posture, greater cervical range of motion and muscle endurance, and higher physical activity were associated with a decreased risk of neck pain. The effects of some risk factors on the development of neck pain were moderated by the workers’ coping resources.
Conclusion
Multiple risk factors and interactions may explain the development of neck pain in office workers. Therefore, plans for preventing the development of interfering neck pain in office workers should consider multiple individual and work-related factors with some factors being potentially more modifiable than others.
Purpose
As part of an integrated system to manage work injuries, some organisations utilise the skills of an onsite physiotherapist. Onsite physiotherapy can provide benefits for the workers and ...organisation when delivered as part of an early intervention injury prevention program (IPP) at a poultry meat processing plant. However, once established, the sustainability of this service on work injury and compensation outcomes without ongoing physiotherapy contribution is unknown.
Methods
Through analysis of two large secondary datasets of workplace injuries and compensation claims, outcome measures of injury rates, cost per workers’ compensation claim and duration of work absence were compared over a 36-month period where onsite physiotherapy contributed to the IPP and was later removed.
Results
3951 injuries and their 781 resultant compensation claims were analysed within a 36-month analysis period. A small but non-significant rise in injury rates and duration of work absence was associated with the removal of onsite physiotherapy. There was also a shift towards more compensations claims with work absence after physiotherapy was removed. However, there was a significant reduction in adjusted mean costs per claim of $847 for all injury types (
p
< 0.001) and $930 for musculoskeletal disorders (
p
< 0.001) after the removal of onsite physiotherapy.
Conclusions
Once an IPP was embedded within an organisation, onsite physiotherapy services were able to be discharged without significantly and negatively impacting demonstrated benefits and injury outcomes. There was also cost savings to the insurer through reduced mean claim costs and to the employer by not funding the onsite physiotherapy service.
Background
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is not without impact on surgeons’ neck/shoulder/head and eyes. However, the mechanisms for concurrent symptoms are not clear. This study aims to examine ...the effect of visual impairments on physical symptoms and surgical performance among surgeons performing simulated surgical tasks using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) viewing modes.
Methods
Gynaecologists with experience in laparoscopy performed four simulated surgical tasks in the 2D and 3D viewing modes. Visual parameters (accommodation, convergence and stereoacuity) were measured prior to commencement. Objective performance measures were derived from the laparoscopic tasks, and surgeons also self-reported their mental and physical workload using the NASA-TLX. In addition, perceived symptoms were measured using Visual Analogue Scales, the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and the Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire.
Results
Seventeen healthy gynaecologists participated in this study. There were significant relationships between visual impairments and both the perceived symptoms and surgical performance scores of MIS surgeons. Surgeons with a higher number of accommodation/convergence dysfunctions and/or poorer stereoacuity tended to have poorer objective performance scores on simulated surgical tasks in both viewing modes. NASA-TLX scores indicated that surgeons with poorer stereoacuity also perceived themselves to have been less successful at accomplishing tasks. However, these surgeons also reported less intense physical symptoms and simulator sickness.
Conclusions
Surgeons’ performance for the simulated surgical tasks correlated with visual functions, and it also impacted on the symptoms experienced. Regular screening of surgeons’ vision and vision therapy may be required to decrease physical symptoms and improve surgical performance.
Purpose
Building on an emerging body of evidence, this scoping review aimed to provide an overview of current interventions to promote work-focused care by healthcare providers for individuals with ...musculoskeletal conditions and to identify current knowledge gaps for future research.
Methods
Literature searches were performed in Pubmed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PsycInfo using Medical Subject Heading terms and text words relating to musculoskeletal conditions, interventions to promote work-focused care and work-related outcomes. Articles involving any interventions with elements of work-focused care delivered by healthcare providers to manage musculoskeletal conditions were reviewed for suitability and inclusion.
Results
A total of 22 articles (18 intervention trials) were identified. Most studies were multidisciplinary interventions incorporating one or more elements of work-focused care including: work-related assessment to identify barriers to working, vocational advice/coaching or education to address barriers to working, involvement of the workplace stakeholders, restoration of fitness for work and regular communication with multidisciplinary team members. Most studies (61 %) concluded that their interventions achieved the desired work-related outcomes although firm conclusions could not be made regarding the effectiveness of a particular component, content or strategy of work-focused care itself because of the variability in the type and number of elements and outcomes used.
Conclusions
There is good evidence demonstrating the potential for healthcare providers to improve work outcomes for those with musculoskeletal conditions. Additional training is required to increase confidence in this area of practice. Accepting that work-focused care is important, however, does not diminish the challenge it presents.
Purpose
Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is demanding on the musculoskeletal and visual systems. Prevalence, severity and association of neck/shoulder problems and visual symptoms were examined among ...MIS surgeons. The associations of workplace and individual factors with these symptoms independently and combined were also examined.
Methods
MIS surgeons completed a comprehensive online survey inclusive of 52 questions about individual and workplace physical factors, neck/shoulder problems and visual symptoms. Binary logistic regression models were conducted to determine the associations of the neck/shoulder problems, visual symptoms and combined symptoms with workplace and individual factors.
Results
290 surgeons completed the survey. Neck/shoulder problems and visual symptoms were reported by 31.0% and 29.0%, respectively, 15.5% reported both problems. The prevalence and severity of neck/shoulder problems and visual symptoms were significantly associated (
p
< 0.001). Several workplace and individual factors were associated with these symptoms (
p
≤ 0.05).
Conclusions
Several factors in the workplace environment (temperature, asymmetrical weight bearing and forward head movement) and individual (being female and wearing vision correction glasses) were significantly associated with neck/shoulder problems and visual symptoms. Evaluation of different strategies to minimise the strain on the neck/shoulder region and the visual system is required.
Objectives Using an employer's perspective, this study aimed to compare the immediate and longer-term impact of workplace ergonomics and neck-specific exercise versus ergonomics and health promotion ...information on health-related productivity among a general population of office workers and those with neck pain. Methods A prospective one-year cluster randomized trial was conducted. Participants received an individualized workstation ergonomics intervention, combined with 12 weeks of either workplace neck-specific exercises or health promotion information. Health-related productivity at baseline, post-intervention and 12-months was measured with the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed using multilevel mixed models. Results We recruited 763 office workers from 14 organizations and allocated them to 100 clusters. For the general population of office workers, monetized productivity loss at 12 months AU$1464 (standard deviation SD 1318) versus AU$1563 (SD=1039); P=0.023; and presenteeism at 12 months 2.0 (SD 1.2) versus 2.4 (SD 1.4); P=0.007 was lower in the exercise group compared to those in the health promotion information group. For office workers with neck pain, exercise participants had lower sickness absenteeism at 12 months compared to health promotion information participants 0.7 days (SD 1.0) versus 1.4 days (SD 3.1); P-=0.012, despite a short-term increase in sickness absenteeism post-intervention compared to baseline for the exercise group 1.2 days (SD 2.2) versus 0.6 days (SD 0.9); P<0.001. Conclusion A workplace intervention combining ergonomics and neck-specific exercise offers possible benefits for sickness presenteeism and health-related productivity loss among a general population of office workers and sickness absenteeism for office workers with neck pain in the longer-term.
Abstract
Objective
While osteoarthritis (OA) affects people who are still participating in the workforce, there is limited data about the impact of OA on work. The aim of this study was to compare ...work participation in individuals with and without lower limb OA.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included workers with (
n
= 124) and without (
n
= 106) lower limb OA. Work participation was assessed as work status (full/part time work), work ability (Work Ability Index (WAI)), absenteeism and presenteeism (World Health Organization’s Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (WHO-HPQ)), and perceived difficulties meeting work demands (Work Role Functioning Questionnaire (WRFQ)). The data were analyzed using an analysis of covariance with age, body mass index and physical job demands included as covariates.
Results
Work ability was poorer (
p
< 0.001) and loss of work performance (
p
< 0.001) was higher among workers with OA than healthy controls. There was no statistical difference in absenteeism or overall ability to meet work demands between participants with and without lower limb OA. However, workers with lower limb OA had more difficulty with work scheduling demands (
p
= 0.05) and physical demands (
p
= 0.003) than healthy workers.
Conclusion
Lower limb OA was associated with poorer work ability, loss of work performance and difficulty in meeting physical and work scheduling demands. Health professionals and employers should consider these challenges when managing individuals with lower limb OA and supporting them to remain in the workforce.
Purpose
To identify factors impeding or facilitating Return to Work (RTW) after minor to serious musculoskeletal Road Traffic Injuries (RTI).
Methods
Six electronic databases were searched for ...studies published 1997–2020. Quantitative and qualitative studies were included if they investigated barriers or facilitators associated with RTW in people with minor to serious musculoskeletal RTI aged over 16 years. Methodological quality was assessed using McMaster Critical Review Form for Quantitative studies and McMaster Critical Review Form for Qualitative Studies. Results are presented narratively as meta-analysis was not possible.
Results
Eleven studies (10 quantitative and 1 qualitative) were included. There was strong evidence that individuals with higher overall scores on the (short-form or long-form) Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire (ÖMPQ) at baseline were less likely to RTW, and individuals with higher RTW expectancies at baseline were more likely to RTW after musculoskeletal RTI. There was weak evidence for higher disability levels and psychiatric history impeding RTW after musculoskeletal RTI.
Conclusions
Post-injury scores on the ÖMPQ and RTW expectancies are the most influential factors for RTW after minor to serious musculoskeletal RTI. There is a need to identify consistent measures of RTW to facilitate comparisons between studies.
Objective:
In this study, the reliability of measures of upper body postural behavior (head, thorax, neck, and arm) during sustained office work was evaluated.
Background:
Although there has been a ...substantial body of research examining the technical aspects of posture measurement in office workers using motion sensors, there is a paucity of literature examining whether posture-related behaviors are actually consistent among office workers in the field on different days and times.
Method:
Thirty one office workers performed their usual work for three, 1-hr sessions (two morning sessions and one afternoon session) while wearing wireless motion sensors. Reliability coefficients of the derived measures of postural behavior were calculated.
Results:
Most (30/31) of the postural behavior measures demonstrated modest to excellent reliability (ICC 2.1: 0.48–0.84). Reliability appeared to be mildly affected by factors such as the time of day recordings were taken and variations in desk setups.
Conclusion:
The findings suggest these measures may be a reliable method for evaluating postural behavior in the office work environment in future studies.
Application:
Postural measurement using a technical motion sensor described an acceptable reliability to be used for risk assessment in the workplace. Consideration of assessment time and desk setting would increase the accuracy of postural measurement.
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