The impact of a change in work posture from seated to stand-up on work-related musculoskeletal disorders among sewing-machine operators

Susan H Grobler; Karien Mostert; Piet Becker

doi:10.1002/ajim.22865

The impact of a change in work posture from seated to stand-up on work-related musculoskeletal disorders among sewing-machine operators

Am J Ind Med. 2018 Jun 6. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22865. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Susan H Grobler^{1

2}, Karien Mostert², Piet Becker^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Physiotherapy Private Practice, Pretoria, South Africa.
² Department of Physiotherapy, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
³ Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
⁴ Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa.

PMID: 29876956
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22865

Abstract

Background: Work-related postural change could lead to improved musculoskeletal health.

Method(s): In a quantitative, retrospective, longitudinal study, data of work-related musculoskeletal disorders of 123 sewing-machine operators were captured for 4.5 years, and analysed using Poisson regression.

Results: Stand-up work posture (SUWP) reduced the incidence for spinal disorders (SD) to 0.29 fold the incidence for sitting work posture (SWP) (P < 0.001). Morbid obesity had significantly increased (P = 0.04) incidence of upper limb disorders (ULD), 3.35 times that of normal body mass index (BMI) (regardless of work posture). SUWP was associated with increased IRR (1.49) for lower limb disorders (LLD). LLDs were associated with obesity (overweight (IRR = 2.58; P = 0.08), obese (IRR = 2.45; P = 0.09), and morbidly obese (IRR = 6.24; P = 0.001)).

Conclusions: The protective benefit of the SUWP was statistically significant for SD incidence. Owing to high mean BMI, SUWP had a negative impact on the incidence of LLDs for the first 2 months.

Keywords: obesity; sewing; sitting work posture; stand-up work posture; work-related musculoskeletal disorders.