Relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and work-related awkward postures among a group of health care workers in a hospital

Background: There are few studies in the Italian literature on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among health care workers (HCW) keeping and holding awkward postures during their job.

Objective: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of low-back, neck and upper limb complaints and the association between risk factors and MSD in HCW working in 15 wards of the Hospital of Cuneo.

Methods: A questionnaire was submitted to 113 HCW. Information about demographic and occupational factors, and MSD characteristics were collected to be statistically elaborated.

Results: The prevalence of complaints regarding at least one of the 3 body regions was 71% in the whole sample (80 subjects). Low back, neck and upper limb were interested, respectively, in 58.4%, 50.4% and 25.7% of the cases. Logistic regression showed a significant association of MSD with score > 7 on the Borg scale (OR = 9.70; CI: 2.01-46.9; p < 0.01), positive musculoskeletal clinical history (OR = 3.67; CI: 1.24-10.88; p < 0.05), and visual defects (OR = 2.88; CI: 1.07-7.81; p < 0.05). Based on the answers from the questionnaire, the onset of MSD was attributed in 41 cases to organizational problems, and in 14 cases to the ergonomic characteristics of the job.

Conclusions: The index of prevalence of MSD associated to work-related awkward postures (71%) is very high, greater than that observed among HCW exposed to manual lifting of weights (21%) in the hospital. Thereafter, assessment of exposure and containment of such occupational risk must be considered useful.