Work from home and musculoskeletal pain in telecommunications workers during COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot study

Work Disability and Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Teleworkers: A Scoping Review

PURPOSE

This project aimed to examine the existing evidence on work disability or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among teleworkers.

METHOD

A scoping review was conducted in eight bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, ABI/Inform Global, EBM Reviews, Web of Science, Dissertations & Theses Global) from inception to June 2022.

RESULTS

Out of 9192 records identified, a total of 79 selected articles representing 77 studies were retained. Most studies were published after 2019, aligning with the COVID-19 pandemic's telework surge. Among the included papers, 51 addressed MSDs among teleworkers, 17 were on work disability, and 11 addressed both concepts. The studies were predominantly cross-sectional. Some trends are emerging, although study results are contradictory. Several papers reported increased musculoskeletal discomfort among teleworkers. Factors associated with MSDs among teleworkers include poor workstation setup, extended workdays, sedentary lifestyle, excessive devices use, and psychological factors. Regarding work disability, studies found that telework is associated with reduced absenteeism but increased presenteeism, with employees more likely to work while unwell from home than when on-site. Mixed results were found regarding teleworkers' work ability and functioning.

CONCLUSION

This paper provides an overview of the literature on work disability and MSDs among teleworkers. It identifies literature gaps, underlining the need for ergonomic improvements, long-term impact studies, a better conceptualization of presenteeism in the context of telework, and tailored interventions to enhance the telework experience.

Influence of self-reported physical exercise on musculoskeletal pain among Chinese medical students

From January to April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic affected eastern China, leading medical students to adopt home protection measures that significantly altered their physical activity and lifestyle habits. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) among medical students during home protection and to analyze the influence of demographic factors, physical exercise habits during normal school life, home protection data on MSP. This research provides a foundation for developing interventions to reduce MSP among medical students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at Nanjing Medical University in Jiangsu Province from January to April 2020, utilizing the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) to measure MSP. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors influencing MSP. A total of 859 students participated, with a 40.2% prevalence of MSP during home protection. Multivariate analysis showed that female sex (OR: 1.648; 95% CI: 1.157-2.347), irregular physical exercise during school (OR: 1.648; 95% CI: 1.157-2.347), and less than or equal to six hours of sleep per day during home protection (OR: 1.474; 95% CI: 1.020-2.131) were significant risk factors. The high prevalence of MSP underscores the need for interventions that focus on gender-specific risks, promote regular physical exercise, and ensure adequate sleep.

Telecommuting during the COVID-19: the role of job demand and control on health outcomes

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic drastically modified the occupational system wherein telecommuting has risen as the major form of work. Few studies have incorporated Karasek's job demand-control (JDC) model into explaining the health effects of telecommuting. This study aimed to investigate the health risk in South Korean telecommuters during the pandemic, and its distribution according to the job stress-related factors.

Methods

A nationwide population-based cross-sectional study of South Korean laborers was conducted, utilizing the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey (2020-2021). Following the previously described concept of telecommuting, 14,478 white-collar employees were eligible study participants. Telecommuting, job demand, job control, and various health indicators were measured by the responses to the survey. Participants were stratified into 4 job profiles classified by the JDC model. We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses between telecommuting and health-related outcomes to estimate the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

One hundred forty-six low-strain, 223 active, 69 passive, and 148 high-strain workers were screened as telecommuters. Compared to office workers, telecommuters had a higher proportion in high job control groups. Subgroup analysis demonstrated different relationships between telecommuting and health, where only active telecommuters showed a higher prevalence of depression (OR: 1.980, 95% CI: 1.126-3.481), and high-strain telecommuters were affected in most outcomes including insomnia (OR: 2.555, 95% CI: 1.473-4.433), musculoskeletal pain (OR: 2.786, 95% CI: 1.719-4.517), headache/eye strain (OR: 3.074, 95% CI: 1.992-4.745) and presenteeism (OR: 1.932, 95% CI: 1.193-3.131).

Conclusions

This study revealed significantly increased odds of multiple health outcomes among South Korean telecommuters during the COVID-19 pandemic era. High-strain job holders were prominently susceptible to the negative health impacts of telecommuting. Occupational health management towards telecommuters should approach mitigating high job demand and low job control.

Perceived Physical Discomfort and Its Associations With Home Office Characteristics During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and change in perception of physical discomfort, including musculoskeletal discomfort, during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine associations of demographic factors, telework activity, and home office characteristics with the highest prevalence of discomfort.

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a substantial increase in telework in many countries. The sudden change from a regular workplace to an improvised "home office" may have an impact on working conditions and physical symptoms of office workers. However, investigations in this area remain limited.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study design was used to compare self-reported complaints of physical discomfort perceived from before with those during the pandemic. Associations between complaints and home office characteristics were investigated from 150 faculty and 51 administrative staff of an academic institution with an age range of 41.16 ± 10.20 (59% female).

RESULTS

A significant increase of physical discomfort was found during the pandemic period for head, eyes, hand, and upper back for both staff and faculty and neck, shoulders, elbows, and lower back for faculty only. Logistic regression analyses point to associations with the lack of a laptop stand, uncomfortable desk, poor lighting, and sitting time, among others.

CONCLUSION

A high prevalence of physical discomfort was reported by teleworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some home office characteristics were associated with these discomforts.

APPLICATION

Some telework characteristics seem to be risk factors for physical discomfort. Consideration should be given to teaching best practices for workstation setup and/or conducting other preventive interventions in the work environment.

Can working at home be a hazard? Ergonomic factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders among teleworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review

Objectives. The improvised and massive adoption of remote work in the context of COVID-19 has forced us to adapt homes as workspaces, which could promote development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This review explores the evidence for ergonomic factors associated with MSDs in teleworkers. Methods. A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, SciELO and EBSCO. We included observational studies published between March 2020 and October 2021 that included teleworking personnel due to the restrictions of the pandemic. Results. A total of 212 studies were identified, 14 were chosen for complete review. Associated factors were change of work modality (on-site work to telework), use of home environments as workspaces (areas not adapted for work and with low lighting), working furniture (non-ergonomic chairs and desks), use of electronic devices (tablets, cell phones and laptops), organizational factors (working hours, active breaks, sitting time) and individual factors (physical activity practice). Conclusion. Various ergonomic home factors and the characteristics of teleworking - mainly furniture, the environment of work and physical activity - are associated with MSDs. This evidence suggests that the norms and regulation of telework can consider the adaptation of workspace and conditions at home to prevent health problems in the medium and long term.

Telework-related risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders

Telework has become considerably more common during the ongoing pandemic. Although working remotely may have numerous advantages, negative impacts on workers' health and safety should also be considered. Telework is a major contributor to the development or aggravation of work-related musculoskeletal disorders where unsuited workstation ergonomics, sedentary behavior, as well as psychosocial and organizational factors play a role. This paper aims to identify telework-related risks and their impact on musculoskeletal health as well as provide recommendations that may be useful in constructing future preventive measures. A comprehensive literature search regarding the topic has been performed. Teleworkers experience musculoskeletal pain and discomfort mostly in low back area, neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. Poor ergonomic solutions when it comes to workstation design resulting in prolonged sitting in non-neutral positions contribute to the development and aggravation of musculoskeletal disorders in teleworkers. Working with inadequately placed screens and laptops and sitting in maladjusted seats without usual functionalities and ergonomic support is associated with musculoskeletal pain and discomfort. Extended working hours with fewer rest periods to meet increased work demands, social isolation, and lack of support from work colleagues and superiors as well as blurred work-home boundaries and omnipresence of work are commonly stated psychosocial and organizational factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders. Environmental factors such as poor lighting and glare, inadequate room temperature, and ventilation or noise, are frequently overlooked remote workstation risk factors. For a certain part of workers, telework will remain a common way of work in the post-pandemic period. Therefore, it is essential to identify telework-related risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders and address them with timely preventive measures tailored to each remote workstation's risks and individual workers' needs.

Teleworking and Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review

Teleworking has spread drastically during the COVID-19 pandemic, but its effect on musculo-skeletal disorders (MSD) remains unclear. We aimed to make a qualitative systematic review on the effect of teleworking on MSD. Following the PRISMA guidelines, several databases were searched using strings based on MSD and teleworking keywords. A two-step selection process was used to select relevant studies and a risk of bias assessment was made. Relevant variables were extracted from the articles included, with a focus on study design, population, definition of MSD, confounding factors, and main results. Of 205 studies identified, 25 were included in the final selection. Most studies used validated questionnaires to assess MSD, six considered confounders extensively, and seven had a control group. The most reported MSD were lower back and neck pain. Some studies found increased prevalence or pain intensity, while others did not. Risk of bias was high, with only 5 studies with low/probably low risk of bias. Conflicting results on the effect of teleworking on MSD were found, though an increase in MSD related to organizational and ergonomic factors seems to emerge. Future studies should focus on longitudinal approaches and consider ergonomic and work organization factors as well as socio-economic status.

Back and neck problems as well as disadvantageous ergonomic behavior patterns in university students: Concomitants of the pandemic?

Background

As a part of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown measures, universities converted courses to digital formats, leading to remote studying. It is unclear how these measures affect university students in terms of musculoskeletal problems (i.e., neck and back pain), e.g., by non-ergonomically equipped home offices or reduced physical activity.

Material and methods

Students from Osnabrück University weresurveyed via fully standardized online questionnaires from early March to mid-April 2022 (6 weeks) about neck and back problems, movement behavior in home offices, and personal information.

Results

Of 447 students who clicked on the link, 378 students (80.4% female, mean age: 24.1 ± 4.2 years) answered the questionnaire (response rate: 84.6%). 299 (79.1%) students suffered from neck pain and 294 (77.8%) from back pain during the pandemic. 206 (54.4%) students generally used ergonomic furniture, 83 (22.0%) used ergonomic sitting furniture, 57 (15.1%) used a standing desk, and 212 (56.1%) used aids for a more comfortable use of laptops in home office. 203 (53.7%) students took movement breaks in home office, 207 (54.8%) worked out regularly, and 65 (17.2%) moved regularly in the fresh air.

Conclusions

The present study found a high rate of neck and back pain amongst university students. Measures are needed to prevent neck and back pain in this group, considering that increased physical activity and enhanced home office equipment might be beneficial.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among computer users working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey

Background

Office employees are at a greater risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) due to their prolonged computer use. In the context of COVID-19, an unanticipated shift to working from home is likely to increase MSD due to a lack of an ergonomic workspace and longer workdays.

Aim

To explore the prevalence of MSD with work-related risk factors among the computer users working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study design

Cross-sectional survey.

Methods

Computer users working from home for more than 6 hours per day during the COVID-19 lockdown were assessed for possible work-related MSD using web-based survey—Google forms for Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.

Results

One hundred twenty one responses from 53 (43.8%) females (25.47 ± 5.72 years) and 68 (56.2%) males (28.65 ± 4.68 years) were included. The female participants were more prone to musculoskeletal pain as compared to males. The neck pain (60.3%), lower back pain (59.5%), and shoulder pain (49.6%) were the most reported body regions affected by work-related MSD. The elbow (18.2%), wrist/hand (35.5%), upper back (42.1%), hips (24.8%), knee (23.1%), and ankle/feet (14%) were the least affected regions. The risk factors associated with MSP includes lack of workplace at home during lockdown, stress after being in one posture, stress in eyes, and mental stress due to work.

Conclusions

During the lockdown phase, the transition of computer workers from working office environment to home increased the prevalence of MSD more commonly in females than males. There is a need to investigate early detection, prevention, and management options to enhance health outcomes.

Telework Conditions, Ergonomic and Psychosocial Risks, and Musculoskeletal Problems in the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association of telework conditions with ergonomic and psychosocial risks and with the occurrence of musculoskeletal problems among employees of the Brazilian Labor Judiciary during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 934 workers from August to October 2021. The data were collected via Web using a self-administrated questionnaire survey. Nonparametric tests and generalized linear regression analysis were used.

RESULTS

Previous experience in telework was associated with a better evaluation of the home workstation, a lower increase in workload, a greater increase in productivity, and greater preference to continue teleworking after the pandemic. The lack of a place dedicated to telework was specially related to greater ergonomic and psychosocial risks and to the greater occurrence of musculoskeletal problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Companies should monitor telework conditions to reduce health risks among their employees.

Relationships Between the Physical Work Environment, Postures and Musculoskeletal Pain During COVID-19: A Survey of Frequent Computer Users

OBJECTIVE

To understand the flexible work practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and depression in frequent computer users.

METHODS

An e-survey determined the extent of workplace changes and MSD, and the relationships between them using descriptive-statistics and chi-squared tests.

RESULTS

Of 700 who commenced the survey, 511 were analyzed. Since the pandemic commenced, 80% of respondents reported they were working more from home; and 89% reported some musculoskeletal pain. Compared with prepandemic, more people worked in nonergonomic environments, computer configurations and body postures. Work location was associated with upper back pain ( P = 0.011); body posture with headache ( P = 0.027) and low back pain ( P = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

Nonergonomic work environments of frequent computer users during COVID-19 are related to having upper back pain, whereas nonergonomic postures are related to having headache and low back pain.

Interruptions in Remote Work: a Resource-based Model of Work and Family Stress

We use the conservation of resources (COR) theory to propose a work-family model of stress in remote work. We propose that interruptions from family are a unique hindrance stressor, detrimental for the employee's challenge and hindrance stress responses in remote work, which, in turn, have distinct effects on resource-oriented attitudes and states of both the employee and spouse. Namely, we expect that both partners' satisfaction with the work arrangement, employee engagement, and spouse family overload will be associated with the way the employee experiences stress in remote work (stress response). We also integrate the effort-recovery model to examine whether two types of breaks taken by employees while working remotely replenish resources lost through interruptions. Using a sample of 391 couples, we find support for all hypotheses that pertain to the employee. Findings involving the spouse support the primacy of the resource loss tenet in COR theory, in that these detrimental effects are significant in crossing over to the spouse via hindrance but are not significant via challenge stress. We discuss the implications of these findings, emphasizing that interruptions are harmful for both types of stress experienced by remote employees (i.e., lower "good" and higher "bad" stress responses), and interruptions appear to have far-reaching effects on both partners. However, choosing to use breaks for both nonwork goals and self-care can buffer these otherwise detrimental effects.

Quality of online video resources concerning patient education for neck pain: A YouTube-based quality-control study

Background

More than 70 percent of the world's population is tortured with neck pain more than once in their vast life, of which 50-85% recur within 1-5 years of the initial episode. With medical resources affected by the epidemic, more and more people seek health-related knowledge via YouTube. This article aims to assess the quality and reliability of the medical information shared on YouTube regarding neck pain.

Methods

We searched on YouTube using the keyword "neck pain" to include the top 50 videos by relevance, then divided them into five and seven categories based on their content and source. Each video was quantitatively assessed using the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), DISCERN, Global Quality Score (GQS), Neck Pain-Specific Score (NPSS), and video power index (VPI). Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between JAMA, GQS, DISCERN, NPSS and VPI. A multiple linear regression analysis was applied to identify video features affecting JAMA, GQS, DISCERN, and NPSS.

Results

The videos had a mean JAMA score of 2.56 (SD = 0.43), DISCERN of 2.55 (SD = 0.44), GQS of 2.86 (SD = 0.72), and NPSS of 2.90 (SD = 2.23). Classification by video upload source, non-physician videos had the greatest share at 38%, and sorted by video content, exercise training comprised 40% of the videos. Significant differences between the uploading sources were observed for VPI (P = 0.012), JAMA (P < 0.001), DISCERN (P < 0.001), GQS (P = 0.001), and NPSS (P = 0.007). Spearman correlation analysis showed that JAMA, DISCERN, GQS, and NPSS significantly correlated with each other (JAMA vs. DISCERN, p < 0.001, JAMA vs. GQS, p < 0.001, JAMA vs. NPSS, p < 0.001, DISCERN vs. GQS, p < 0.001, DISCERN vs. NPSS, p < 0.001, GQS vs. NPSS, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis suggested that a higher JAMA score, DISCERN, or GQS score were closely related to a higher probability of an academic, physician, non-physician or medical upload source (P < 0.005), and a higher NPSS score was associated with a higher probability of an academic source (P = 0.001) than of an individual upload source.

Conclusions

YouTube videos pertaining to neck pain contain low quality, low reliability, and incomplete information. Patients may be put at risk for health complications due to inaccurate, and incomplete information, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. Academic groups should be committed to high-quality video production and promotion to YouTube users.

Increased prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among physiotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Commentary

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is an exceptionally infectious virus that contaminates various systems and increases the demands on physiotherapists in the management of patients. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this commentary was to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among physiotherapists at the workplace. METHODS: Explore the anxiety and stress levels of the physiotherapists during the pandemic and its consequence on the mental health. RESULTS: The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the approach of rehabilitation services to patients and increased the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMDs) among physiotherapists. CONCLUSION: Physiotherapists must exercise due caution and diligence while managing these patients to protect themselves from contracting the infection and avoid WMDs.

Investigating The Impacts of Working at Home Among Offıce Workers With Neck Pain on Health Status, Depression and Sleep Quality During COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the effect of workplace and ergonomic features on neck pain intensity, sleep problems, depression and health status at office workers during COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

One-hundred and thirty-nine office workers with neck pain who are 18-55 years of age were enrolled in the study. Sociodemographic features including ergonomic features of workplace were evaluated. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS) were administered to all patients.

RESULTS

All participants was grouped based on workplace into Group 1 (working in office n = 84) and Group 2(working at home n = 55). There was a statistically significant difference between the groups according to rate of absence of back support, flexible back (respectively p = 0.020 and p = 0.029). The scores of the Neck Pain and Disability Index scores of the participants who work with a computer more than 3 hours without break was higher in Group 2 than ın Group 1, and the differences between groups were found statistically significant (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The health related quality of life was worse and neck pain intensity was severe in working at home group than working in office group.Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05074407..