Publication:

Prevalence of activity limitation due to work related musculoskeletal disorder in long standing metro station workers

Background The study sought to estimate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among metro workers in Bangalore using the REBA scale, ICF, and WHO-QOL. Workers at metro stations must perform strenuous jobs, such as standing for long hours or walking, performing repetitive activities, and maintaining awkward postures during work hours. They are therefore more prone to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and their symptoms. Objective was to determine the prevalence of activity limitations among long-standing metro station workers with WRMSD.

Methods A cross-sectional study involving 100 Bangalore metro station workers aged 20-45 were assessed for their activity limitation using ICF core sets and REBA score derived from captured postures of most awkward positions maintained by the subjects for more than a minute. Consent was obtained and WHO-QOL BREF questioner was used to evaluate their overall productivity.

Results The findings revealed that 67% of participants had WMSDs, and that there were significant relationships between musculoskeletal discomfort and demographic traits. The results highlight the need for targeted ergonomic interventions and workplace changes in order to improve the health of workers at metro stations.

Conclusions In conclusion the study revealed a high percentage of prevalence of WRMSD among long standing metro station workers as well as a negative association between age and activity restriction, suggesting that as age increases, the amount of activity limitation tends to decrease.