Work limitations due to neck-shoulder pain and physical work demands in older workers: cross-sectional study

ObjectivesPhysically demanding work increases the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders during working life, with low back pain (LBP) as the most prevalent and debilitating musculoskeletal disorder worldwide. However, a lack of knowledge exists about the role of early working years on musculoskeletal health later in life. This study investigated whether an exposure–response association exists between physical demands in early working life and risk of LBP in later working life.DesignCross-sectional study.Setting, participants and outcome measureIn the SeniorWorkingLife study, 5909 wage earners aged ≥50 years with currently sedentary work replied to a questionnaire survey in 2018 about physical work demands during their first working years (exposure) and current LBP (outcome). Associations between physical work demands in the early working years and current LBP were modelled using general linear models controlling for various confounders, combined with model-assisted weights based on national registers.ResultsHard physical work during early working life was associated with more intense LBP later in life among senior workers with currently sedentary jobs. In the fully adjusted model, workers with ‘standing/walking work with lifting/carrying’ and ‘heavy or fast work that is physically strenuous’ during the first years of working life reported higher LBP intensity than those with sedentary work during their first working years (0.2 (95% CI, 0.0 to 0.4) and 0.6 (95% CI, 0.4 to 0.9), respectively).ConclusionWork involving lifting/carrying or work that is physically strenuous in early life is associated with higher intensity of LBP among older workers with currently sedentary employment. These findings suggest that early working life may have an impact on later working years and underscore the necessity for careful introduction and instruction to the working environment for retaining musculoskeletal health and prolonging working life.Trial registration numberNCT03634410.

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Association between physical work demands and work ability in workers with musculoskeletal pain: cross-sectional study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-020-03191-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sebastian Venge Skovlund ◽

Rúni Bláfoss ◽

Emil Sundstrup ◽

Lars L. Andersen

Keyword(s):

Musculoskeletal Pain ◽

Work Ability ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Physical Work ◽

Work Demands ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physical Work Demands

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Association of perceived work pace and physical work demands with occupational accidents: a cross-sectional study of ageing male construction workers in Denmark

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-12461-6 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Pernille Weber Hansen ◽

Vivi Schlünssen ◽

Kirsten Fonager ◽

Jakob Hjort Bønløkke ◽

Claus D. Hansen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Construction Workers ◽

Occupational Accidents ◽

Physical Work ◽

Occupational Accident ◽

Work Demands ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physical Work Demands ◽

Ageing Male

Abstract Background Occupational accidents continue to be a significant public health challenge worldwide. Construction workers in particular are at high risk of occupational accidents, and thus it is of major importance to identify possible predictors of occupational accidents among construction workers. We aimed to investigate the association between self-reported work pace and physical work demands and occupational accidents among ageing male construction workers in Denmark. Methods Data on perceived work pace, physical work demands, and occupational accidents was acquired from questionnaires sent to ageing construction workers in Denmark in 2016 as part of the ALFA project (ALdring og Fysisk Arbejde; Ageing and Physical Work). A sample of 1270 Danish male construction workers above 50 years of age was included in the present study. Multiple logistic regression models were applied, with adjustments for age, smoking, body mass index, musculoskeletal disorders, occupation, work experience, and support at work. Results Of 1270 construction workers, 166 (13.1%) reported an occupational accident within the last 12 months. There was no significant association between perceived work pace and occupational accidents, but physical work demands were associated with higher odds for occupational accidents, with an odds ratio of 2.27 (95% confidence interval 1.26–4.10) for medium physical work demands and 2.62 (95% confidence interval 1.50–4.57) for high physical work demands. Conclusions Ageing male construction workers with high physical work demands had statistically significant higher odds of having an occupational accident. By contrast, perceived work pace was not associated with occupational accidents in this large cross-sectional study.

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Comparison of two self-reported measures of physical work demands in hospital personnel: A cross-sectional study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/1471-2474-9-61 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen ◽

Nils Fallentin ◽

Karl B Christensen ◽

Jette N Jensen ◽

Finn Diderichsen

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Physical Work ◽

Hospital Personnel ◽

Work Demands ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physical Work Demands

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Is low-back pain a limiting factor for senior workers with high physical work demands? A cross-sectional study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-020-03643-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Patrick Pascal Nygaard ◽

Sebastian Venge Skovlund ◽

Emil Sundstrup ◽

Lars Louis Andersen

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Physical Work ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Low Back ◽

Work Demands ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physical Work Demands ◽

Pain Outcome

Abstract Background Low-back pain (LBP) is highly prevalent among senior workers and may affect work ability, especially among those with hard physical work. This study determined the joint association of LBP intensity and physical work demands with work limitiations due to pain in senior workers. Methods In the SeniorWorkingLife study (2018), 11,738 senior workers (≥50 years) replied to questions about physical work demands, LBP intensity, and work limitations due to pain. Using logistic regression analyses and controlling for potential confounders, associations between the physical work demands and LBP intensity (interaction) with work limitiations due to pain (outcome) was modeled. Results Higher LBP intensity, as well as higher physical work demands, significantly increased the odds of experiencing work limitiations due to pain, and these two factors interacted with each other (p < 0.0001). In analyses stratified for LBP intensity, higher physical work demands gradually increased the odds of experiencing work limitiations due to pain. Conclusions Senior workers with a combination of physically demanding work and LBP are more affected by their pain during everyday work tasks compared to workers with similar LBP-intensity in sedentary occupations. Accommodation of work demands seems especially relevant for this group of workers.

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Joint association of physical work demands and leg pain intensity for work limitations due to pain in senior workers: cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-09860-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sebastian Venge Skovlund ◽

Rúni Bláfoss ◽

Emil Sundstrup ◽

Kristina Thomassen ◽

Lars L. Andersen

Keyword(s):

Pain Intensity ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Leg Pain ◽

Physical Work ◽

Work Demands ◽

Aging Workforce ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physical Work Demands ◽

Physical Work Environment

Abstract Background Leg pain, especially of the knees and hips, is common among senior workers and may limit the ability to perform physically demanding work. In light of the aging workforce, this study determined the joint association of physical work demands and leg pain intensity for work-limiting pain in senior workers. Methods Currently employed senior workers (≥50 years) participated in the SeniorWorkingLife study in 2018 (n = 12,879). Associations between the combination of physical work demands and leg pain intensity (interaction) with work-limiting pain (outcome) were modeled using binary logistic regression analyses while controlling for potential covariates. Results We found a significant interaction (P < 0.001) between physical work demands and leg pain intensity for work-limiting pain. The combination of higher physical work demands and higher leg pain intensity had the worst outcome in terms of the odds of experiencing work-limiting pain. For example, 70% of those with the combination of high physical work demands and leg pain intensity ≥7 (scale 0–10) experienced that the pain limited them to at least some degree in their work. Conclusions The combination of high physical work demands and high leg pain intensity are associated with limited ability to perform work among senior workers. These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing the physical work environment in physically demanding occupations, particularly among senior workers, for prolonging working life. Thus, adjusting the work demands, e.g. through use of assistive devices, and lowering the pain, e.g. through physical rehabilitation, may be necessary to sustain work ability to a high age in this group of workers. Trial registration This was registered as a cohort study in ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03634410) on the 18th of August 2018 (Retrospectively registered).

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Important work demands for reducing sickness absence among workers with neck or upper back pain: a prospective cohort study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-019-2909-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Stefan Oliv ◽

Ewa Gustafsson ◽

Adnan Noor Baloch ◽

Mats Hagberg ◽

Helena Sandén

Keyword(s):

Back Pain ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Work Ability ◽

Older Workers ◽

Age Groups ◽

Physical Work ◽

Work Demands ◽

Work Demand ◽

Physical Work Demands ◽

Work Ability Score

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate what exposure to work demands, physical and psychosocial, is associated with lower levels of sickness absence among workers with neck or upper back pain in different groups, by age, gender, duration of sickness absence and work ability score. Methods This study was a prospective study of 4567 workers with neck or upper back pain. Data on neck or upper back pain, work demand and work ability were obtained from the Swedish Work Environment survey over a 3–year period (2009–2013). Register data on sickness absence, 1 year after each survey was conducted, were obtained from the Swedish health insurance database. Analyses were performed to estimate the association between self-reported work demands and registered sick days > 14 days. The analyses were stratified for gender, age group and work ability score. Results Lower numbers of sick days were found for workers reporting low exposure to lifting ≥15 kg and twisted or forward-leaning work postures. Lower numbers of sick days were found for workers reporting high work control and seated work. The associations were generally stronger in the older age groups for the physical work demands. Conclusions The findings in this study suggest that certain physical work demands and having high control over one’s work can result in lower sickness absence, especially among middle-aged and older workers with neck or upper back pain.

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