Musculoskeletal Discomfort and Disorders in Agricultural Populations
A special issue of Safety (ISSN 2313-576X).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 30
Special Issue Editor
Interests: occupational health; agricultural safety and health; mental health; agricultural injury; injury surveillance; rural health
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue of Safety will focus on the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in agricultural operators and workers. The lifetime prevalence of MSDs in agricultural operators was estimated at 90.6% with a one-year prevalence estimated at 76.9% (Osborne et al., 2012). Prevention has typically inolved stretching exercises and ergonomic changes in different workplaces. Given the high prevalence, better prevention approaches are needed. Additionally, MSDs are complicated by workplace strains, such as stressors, sleep deprivation, and exhaustion due to seasonal long work hours. It is likely that experiencing acute or chronic MSD may result in additional injuries due to compensatory protection of areas of the body that are vulnerable to further injury. In hired agricultural workers, MSD symptoms can be exacerbated by the safety climate and organizational environment, with psychosocial factors being of primary concern, together with factors such as high workloads for workers with low autonomy and low control over what is demanded of them. With previous comprehensive studies being dated, this Special Issue will highlight the current state of research in understanding risk factors for MSDs in agriculture, focusing on ergonomics, prevention, and the mental and physical health burdens that these work-related conditions cause.
Dr. Cheryl Beseler
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- musculoskeletal disorders
- ergonomics
- prevention of musculoskeletal disorders
- musculoskeletal symptoms and pain
- musculoskeletal disorders as a risk factor for injury
- musculoskeletal disorders in subpopulations
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