Investigation of musculoskeletal symptoms in a manufacturing company in Brazil: a cross-sectional study.
Paula K Hembecker, Diogo C Reis, Andréa C Konrath and 2 others
PMID 28473285WHAT IT FOUND
Upper-limb pain or discomfort was common among metal-product manufacturing workers.
Repetitive tasks and missing short work breaks were associated with upper-limb symptoms, but the study cannot show cause.
Key findings
01Past-year symptoms were most common in the upper limbs: shoulder 24.8%, wrist/hand 19.0%, elbow/forearm 15.5%.
02In the adjusted model, not taking short work pauses was associated with higher odds of upper-limb discomfort (OR 2.20).
03In the adjusted model, neck discomfort was associated with higher odds in workers with 2-4 years of company experience (OR 11.94) and sleep disorders (OR 9.92).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that any factor caused symptoms. It included only workers from one medium metallurgical company, so results may not apply to other workplaces. Workers on sick leave for musculoskeletal problems were excluded, and the authors suggest a survivor group may have been studied, which could understate symptoms. Symptoms were self-reported with a questionnaire rather than physical examination, so accuracy may be limited. The questionnaire was designed for this study, so its measurement properties are not fully established.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the work-pause association as proof that adding breaks prevents upper-limb symptoms. The study is cross-sectional and relies on self-reported symptoms, so it can only show association.