Search Results (7)

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid shift to remote working, which affected ergonomic conditions and increased the risk of upper body musculoskeletal pain (MSP). This study assessed the prevalence and impact of upper body MSP (affecting the head, neck, shoulders, and back) among academic staff at a University of Technology during the pandemic. Data were collected from 110 participants through an online, descriptive, cross-sectional survey adapted from the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire, and the McCaffrey Initial Pain Assessment Tool. The survey examined demographics, ergonomic practices, MSP, and psychological well-being before and during the pandemic. The sample included 59.1% female participants, with most being middle-aged. Persistent MSP was common, with 54.5% reporting neck pain and 59.1% experiencing back pain during the pandemic, alongside a significant decline in wrists in neutral position ergonomics (p = 0.012). Psychological well-being also worsened, as participants reported lower levels of cheerfulness, calmness, and energy than before the pandemic. While 81.9% of 90.9% participants with pre-existing MSP continued to experience pain, a small (9%) but notable proportion saw a decline in MSP during this period. These findings highlight a strong relationship between remote working conditions and MSP, with poor ergonomics and psychological distress contributing significantly to persistent pain. The results emphasise the need for institutions to provide ergonomic support, such as appropriate equipment and workstation adjustments, alongside mental health resources to mitigate the long-term impacts of remote working on physical and mental health. Full article

Falls are the most common type of accident in the construction industry, and falls to a lower level are among the leading causes of fatalities. Work-related fatalities due to falls, slips, and trips have been increasing, with Hispanic workers among the highest fatalities. This study investigated the association between fall accidents and attributes such as age, musculoskeletal pain (MSPs), sleep hours, safety knowledge, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and working hours among Hispanic construction workers involved in building construction. This study collected 220 valid responses and used nonparametric chi-square tests and binary logistic regression to analyze the data. This study found that the location of the fall, MSPs, and use of personal protective equipment have a significant effect on the likelihood of having fall accidents. The strongest predictor of fall accidents was “fall from a ladder”, followed by having two or three MSPs. The use of PPE had the highest decreasing ratio in odds of fall accidents, indicating the importance of wearing PPE properly. The results show the importance of integrating safety management strategies within construction projects’ broader life cycle management. The insights list how project engineers can incorporate these findings into Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems to enhance project planning and safety measures in reducing fall-related accidents and their severe consequences. This study highlights the importance of addressing MSPs, properly using PPE, and reducing falls from ladders in the construction industry to prevent fall accidents among Hispanic workers and minimize their severe consequences. Full article

While musculoskeletal pain (MSP) stands as the most prevalent health condition among Veterans, timely and high-quality care is often hindered due to access barriers. Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a healthier lifestyle among Veterans, aimed to assess innovative approaches to veteran care. This is a single-arm pilot study investigating the feasibility, clinical outcomes, engagement, and satisfaction of a remote multimodal digital care program among Veterans with MSP. The impact of deployment experience on outcomes was explored as a secondary aim. From 75 eligible Veterans, 61 started the program, reporting baseline pain frequently comorbid with mental distress. Program acceptance was suggested by the high completion rate (82%) and engagement levels, alongside high satisfaction (9.5/10, SD 1.0). Significant improvements were reported in all clinical outcomes: pain (1.98 points, 95%CI 0.13; 3.84, p = 0.036); mental distress, with those reporting at least moderate baseline depression ending the program with mild symptoms (8.50 points, 95%CI: 6.49; 10.51, p = 0.012); daily activity impairment (13.33 points, 95%CI 1.31; 25.34, p = 0.030). Deployed Veterans recovered similarly to their counterparts. Overall, the above results underscore the potential of a remote digital intervention to expand Veterans’ access to timely MSP care. Full article

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid public health response, which included mandatory working from home (WFH) for many employees. However, given the rapid change from traditional ways of working, evidence is limited on the role of leaders, managers, and supervisors in supporting their employees’ physical and mental health whilst WFH. The study aimed to examine the impact of leaders through their management of psychosocial working conditions on employees’ stress and musculoskeletal pain (MSP) levels whilst WFH. Methods: Data from 965 participants (230 males, 729 females, 6 other) involved in the Employees Working from Home (EWFH) study, collected in October 2020, and April and November 2021, were analysed. Generalised mixed-effect models were used to test relationships between psychosocial leadership factors and employees’ stress and MSP levels. Results: Higher quantitative demands are associated with increased stress (B: 0.289, 95%CI 0.245, 0.333), presence of MSP (OR: 2.397, 95%CI 1.809, 3.177), and increased MSP levels (RR: 1.09, 95%CI 1.04, 1.14). Higher levels of vertical trust decreased stress (B: −0.094, 95%CI −0.135, −0.052) and presence of MSP (OR: 0.729, 95%CI 0.557, 0.954). Role clarity decreased stress (B: −0.055, 95%CI −0.104, −0.007) and levels of MSP (RR: 0.93, 95%CI 0.89, 0.96). Working with interruptions was associated with increased stress (B: 0.199, 95%CI 0.119, 0.280) and MSP (OR: 1.834, 95%CI 1.094, 3.072). Conclusion: Leaders will need to take a broad view of job design, taking into account physical and psychosocial aspects of work, to effectively support employees WFH and manage stress and MSP. Full article

The number of precarious workers is increasing globally, and precarious employment is becoming a public concern in terms of workers’ health. However, sufficient research on precarious employment and its impact on musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between precarious employment and the risk of MSP among Korean wage workers. After merging the data from the 4th and 5th Korean Working Conditions Surveys, 59,644 wage workers were analyzed. The control group comprised full-time permanent workers, and precarious employment was defined as workers involved in temporary or daily employment, or part-time workers. The outcome variable was the summed number of MSP in three anatomical sites (back, neck and upper limb, lower limb). Zero-inflated negative binomial analyses were selected to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between precarious employment and MSP. In adjusted models with age, sex, educational level, income level, weekly working hours, and occupation, precarious employment was significantly associated with an increased risk of both MSP (OR 1.66 95% CI 1.56–1.77) and work-related MSP (OR 1.18 95% CI 1.11–1.25). Given the job insecurity and health inequity associated with precarious employment, special attention on precarious workers’ health is needed. Full article

Musculoskeletal pain (MSP), specifically low back pain (LBP), is often associated with several adipose tissue-derived cytokines (adipokines) and body composition, but their correlations with the LBP-related disability/severity phenotypes remain poorly understood. In this cross-sectional study, two self-reported validated questionnaires were used to collect back pain and disability data in an ethnically homogeneous family-based population sample (N = 1078). Plasma levels of relatively new adipokines, vaspin and adipsin, were detected by ELISA. Body composition parameters, including fat, skeletal muscle mass, extracellular water (ECW), and others were assessed through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technology. Statistical analysis was conducted, accounting for the familial composition of the sample. The multiple regression analyses with four LBP-related phenotypes as dependent variables consistently showed, for the first time, the significant associations with vaspin levels, regardless of other covariates. The odds ratios (OR)/SD ranged between 1.24 (95%CI = 1.03–1.50) and 1.33 (95%CI = 1.07–1.64), depending on the LBP phenotype. Among the tested body composition covariates, only ECW levels displayed consistent and highly significant associations with all tested LBP phenotypes (OR from 1.43, 95%CI = 1.14–1.79 to 1.68, 95%CI = 1.26–2.24). The results clearly suggest that circulating concentrations of vaspin and ECW levels could serve as biomarkers of MSP/LBP severity and complications. Full article

Musculoskeletal pathologies (MSPs) such as osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis (OP), are a set of disorders that cause severe pain, motion difficulties, and even permanent disability. In developed countries, the current incidence of MSPs reaches about one in four adults and keeps escalating as a consequence of aging and sedentarism. Interestingly, OA and OP have been closely related to similar risk factors, including aging, metabolic alterations, and inflammation. Visfatin, an adipokine with an inflammatory and catabolic profile, has been associated with several OA and OP metabolic risk factors, such as obesity, insulin resistance, and type II diabetes. Furthermore, visfatin has been associated with the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), which plays a key role in cartilage and bone inflammatory and catabolic responses. Moreover, visfatin has been related to several OA and OP pathologic features. The aim of this work is to bring together basic and clinical data regarding the common role of visfatin in these pathologies and their major shared risk factors. Finally, we discuss the pitfalls of visfatin as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in both pathologies. Full article