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Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Blue-Collar Workers: Association with Gender and Physical Activity Level

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Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health

Part of the book series: Studies in Systems, Decision and Control ((SSDC,volume 202))

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and the association between physical activity and gender, and the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in different body regions among blue-collar workers working in a Portuguese manufacturing company. The sample comprised 136 blue collar workers. Musculoskeletal pain and related symptoms were assessed with the Nordic Questionnaire of Osteoarticular Symptoms, and physical activity was assessed with IPAQ—Short Version. The association between musculoskeletal symptoms and physical activity and gender was analyzed with the Chi-Square test. Results revealed that the 4 most prevalent body regions where the workers reported musculoskeletal symptoms were: the lumbar region (56.6%), the wrist/hand (50%), the shoulder (45.6%) and the neck (44.9%). No significant association was found between physical activity levels (p > 0.05) and prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Women reported a significant higher prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck than men (p = 0.025). To conclude, blue-collar workers have a high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and the level of physical activity seems not to influence the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the blue-collar workers of this sample. Gender differences were found only in the neck region. The present results emphasize the need of worksite interventions to prevent musculoskeletal pain and related symptoms in this population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Escola Superior de Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal

    Isabel Moreira-Silva, Joana Azevedo, Sandra Rodrigues & Adérito Seixas

  2. CIAFEL, Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Isabel Moreira-Silva & Jorge Mota

  3. LABIOMEP, INEGI-LAETA, Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Adérito Seixas

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  1. Isabel Moreira-Silva
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  2. Joana Azevedo
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  3. Sandra Rodrigues
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  4. Adérito Seixas
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  5. Jorge Mota
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Correspondence to Adérito Seixas .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. DPS, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Pedro M. Arezes

  2. DEM, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    João S. Baptista

  3. DPS, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Mónica P. Barroso

  4. DPS, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Paula Carneiro

  5. DPS, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Patrício Cordeiro

  6. DPS, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Nélson Costa

  7. Faculty of Human Kinetics, Technical University of Lisbon, Cruz Quebrada–Dafundo, Portugal

    Rui B. Melo

  8. DPS, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    A. Sérgio Miguel

  9. Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Gonçalo Perestrelo

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Moreira-Silva, I., Azevedo, J., Rodrigues, S., Seixas, A., Mota, J. (2019). Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Blue-Collar Workers: Association with Gender and Physical Activity Level. In: Arezes, P., et al. Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 202. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14730-3_50

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14730-3_50

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-14729-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-14730-3

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