Standing working posture and musculoskeletal pain among citrus sinensis workers in a low-income country.
Cuvinte cheie
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Work-related musculoskeletal pain (WRMP) among citrus sinensis farm workers have barely been studied. Yet most work tasks in such farms are manually performed using awkward standing postures that can contribute to WRMP.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the standing working posture in relation to WRMP among citrus sinensis workers.
METHODS
Ninety-two workers engaged in manual tasks participated in this cross-sectional study. Postures at the upper limbs were analysed using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.
RESULTS
Analyses generally showed statistically significant associations (p < 0.05) between a body part RULA score and WRMP at the concerned body part. The upper arm score was > 1 in 77.2% of the workers and caused upper arm pain in 66.3%, the association between the upper score and upper pain was statistically significant (χ2 = 20.57; p < 0.05). Similarly, significant associations were found between the (i) wrist score and wrist pain; (ii) neck score and neck pain and (iii) trunk score and back pain.
CONCLUSIONS
Citrus sinensis workers use unsafe postures which contribute to WRMP at the upper arm, trunk, neck and wrists. Ergonomics measures are required to improve their working posture.
