The impact of musculoskeletal pain and strenuous work on self-reported physical work ability: a cohort study of Swedish men and women

Objective We investigated the separate and combined effects of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and strenuous work (heavy physical workload (PWL)/low-decision authority) on poor physical work ability (WA). Methods This study uses baseline data from the 2010 Stockholm Public Health Questionnaire (SPHQ) including 9419 workers with good physical WA. Exposure to PWL and decision authority were estimated using sex-specific job-exposure matrices linked to occupations. Exposures (high/low) were combined with the presence of MSP. Follow-up data on physical WA were taken from the 2014 SPHQ and dichotomised (the responses: “moderate”, “rather poor” and “very poor” indicated poor WA). Logistic regression models calculated sex-specific odds ratios adjusting for age, education and health and lifestyle factors. Interaction between MSP and strenuous work was examined using the synergy index (SI). Analyses were conducted using SPSS.27. Results MSP, heavy PWL and low-decision authority were separately associated with poor WA. MSP was associated with higher odds of poor WA than strenuous work for women, the opposite for men. Combinations of MSP and strenuous work often resulted in higher risks of poor WA than when adding the effects of the single exposures (e.g., MSP and heavy PWL men: AOR 4.04 95% CI 2.00–8.15, women: AOR: 3.25 95% CI 1.81–5.83). The SI was non-significant for both sexes. Conclusion Workers with MSP and strenuous work often had higher risks of poor WA than would be expected from adding the effects of the single exposures. To decrease poor WA in this group, strenuous work should be lowered, and MSP addressed in workplaces.

Poor work ability increases sickness absence over 10 years

BackgroundLittle is known about the predictive value of single items from the work ability index (WAI) on the risk of sickness absence over several years, and whether such risk varies across age groups.AimsThe aim of the study was to investigate whether poor self-perceived physical and mental work ability among employees in the public sector are associated with long-term sickness absence over a 10-year period.MethodsThe study was based on a prospective cohort of employees within the public sector in Sweden reporting ‘good health for working’. Baseline information was collected with questionnaires from 2000 to 2003. Poor physical and mental work ability in relation to work demands were assessed with two items from the WAI. The outcome was the number of years of long-term sickness absence between 2003 and 2012. Long-term sickness absence was defined as ≥28 days of sickness and this information was retrieved from Swedish National Registers. Crude and adjusted incidence rate ratios were calculated with analyses stratified by age.ResultsCompared with those reporting very good physical work ability, employees reporting any lower grade of physical work ability had a higher risk of long-term sickness absence across all age strata, with higher risk estimates in the highest age groups and 6-fold increased risk in the oldest age group. Similar results were found for mental work ability with an almost 4-fold increased risk in the highest age group.ConclusionsSelf-reported physical and mental poor work ability are associated with long-term sickness absence during the subsequent 10 years. The risk increases with age.

Physical-work ability and chronic musculoskeletal complaints are related to leisure-time physical activity: Cross-sectional study among manual workers aged 50–70 years

Aims: To investigate the associations between both high- and low-intensity leisure-time physical activity on physical-work ability and chronic musculoskeletal complaints among manual workers aged 50–70 years. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1763 manual workers (mean age 57.1, SD ± 4.7 years) replied to questions about leisure-time physical activity, physical-work ability, chronic musculoskeletal complaints as well as health and lifestyle factors. Ordinal and binomial logistic regression models were constructed to assess the influence of the duration of both low- and high-intensity physical activity on physical-work ability and chronic musculoskeletal complaints, respectively. Models were adjusted for gender, age, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, physical-work demand, work experience, chronic disease and, regarding physical-work ability, also for chronic musculoskeletal complaints. Results: A statistically significant association between greater physical-work ability and high-intensity physical activity was found for workers engaged in 3–4 h/wk and ⩾ 5 h/wk (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.15–2.19 and OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.10–2.22, respectively). For both high- and low-intensity physical activity, a duration of 3–4 h/wk was associated with lower odds of reporting chronic musculoskeletal complaints in the knees (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.42–1.00 and OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.38–0.99, respectively). Conclusions: Engaging in ⩾ 3 h/wk of high-intensity leisure-time physical activity was associated with greater physical-work ability among manual workers aged 50–70 years. Both high- and low-intensity physical activity related to lower odds of having chronic musculoskeletal complaints in the knees.