Work-related musculoskeletal disorders have become a major problem in many industrialized countries. These disorders cause considerable human suffering and economic costs due to reduced work capacity and production. The document discusses common musculoskeletal disorders experienced by industrial workers, including disorders of the neck, shoulders, upper extremities, low back, and prevention and management strategies. Prevention requires ergonomic workstation design and exercises while management includes relaxation techniques, stretching, and therapeutic exercises.

1. Prevention
of
M
uscu
loskeletal
lni
uries
inlndustrial
Workers
S.Senthilkumar MPT (Ortho)
ork-relatedmusculoskeletal
disorders
havebecomea major problem in many
industrialized
countries.
Thesedisorders
causea considerableamount of human suffering and
are also economically very costly becauseof reduced
working capacity and lessenedproduction. These
disordersdescribea wide range of inflammatory and
degenerativediseases
that resultin pain andfunctional
impairment and may affect the body's soft tissues
including tendons,tendonsheaths,
musclesandnerves
of thehands,wrists,elbows,shoulders,
neck,andback.
Suchdisorderscausework disability amongemployees
and are frequently associatedwith long periods of
disabilityandsickleave.
According to the World Health Organization,work-
relatedmusculoskeletal
disorders(WMSDs) arisewhen
exposedto work activitiesand work conditionsthat
significantly contribute to their development or
exacerbationbut not acting asthe soledeterminantof
causation(World Health Organization,1985).These
disorders have been found to be associatedwith
numerous
occupational'risk
factors', including physical
workload factors such as
:ff;.So"^
force, posture, manual o+cftdvri0$
handling,repetitivework and
vibration, psychosocial
stressors,and individual
factors. These factors a,p'rrw.r
become hazardous due to
r)ffime
prolonged,repetitive,oftenin
a forceful and awkward
manner,without sufficient
rest or recovery.
Occupationalhealth should
aim at promotion and
Pitc.h6! Slould(
(t1dts tulT6dn6r)
maintenance
of thehi_shest
de_9ree
of physical,
mental
and socialwell-beingof workersin all occupationsl
prevention amongstworkers of impairment of health
causedby their working conditions;protectionof
workersin their employmentfrom risks resultingfrom
factors adverseto health; placing and maintenanceof
the worker in an occupationalenvironmentadaptedto
theirphysiologicalandpsychological
capabilities;
and,
to summarize,the adaptationof work to man and of
eachmanto hisjob InternationalLabour Organization.
Musculoskeletal
problemsfor industrial
workers
oDisorder of neck: The working groups with levels
of staticcontraction,prolongedstaticloads,or extreme
work posturesinvolving the neck musclesare at
increased
risk for musculoskeletal
disorders
resultins
cervicalspondylosis
andspondylitis.
oDisorders of shoulder: A relationshipbetween
repeatedor sustainedshoulderpostureswith greater
than 60 degreesof flexion or abduction to develop
musculoskeletal
disorder.
o Disorder of upper extremity:
Disorders of upper extremity are due to
improperuseof toolsandor work postures.
The problems are tendosynovitis,de
Quervain'sdisease,
triggerfinger,tendonitis,
Ls'ac!.Fffi
tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome,
Raynaud'ssyndrome,Spaceinvaderswrist.
oTendosynot,itis:
In this case,the
tendons are affected. The signs and
*l".,fJ:;:, symptomsare pain, swelling, crepitus, and
loss of function. It occursin the situation
where the job requires side-to-sidewrist
movement.
HealthActiono October2012

2. Work-related
musculoskeletal
disorders
have
becomeamajorProblemin manY
industrialized
countries.
Thesedisorders
cause
aconsiderable
amountof humansufferingand
arealsoeconomicallyverycostlybecause
of
reduced
workingcapacity
andlessened
production.
multifactorial in origin and may be associatedwith
occupational
disorder.
It is importantto distinguishing
u*ong thevariousoutcomemeasures
suchaslow back
pain,"sciaticpain, low back impairment'low back
disability,lumbago'
oManagementof musculoskeletaldisorders
Relaxition techniques- Alexandertechnique
Alexanderskillswill reduce[or] eliminatebackstrain
by increasingproficiencyat "consciousinhibition" of
g"neral posturat and muscular malcoordination'
L"ngttt"ning the spine in all activities' Alexander
techniqueteaches
apreferablebalanceandcoordination
that improve posrure,reducesstressto neck and back
und
"nhun.es
kinestheticandproprioceptive
skills'
Stretching
exercisesProgramme
oCuhle.strett'lt;
-hile sitting with chin in' shoulders
relarecl.
handsrelaredin lap,andfeetflat onthefloor'
rr.nagine
acablepullingtheheadupward'holdfor three
secondsand relax.RePeatthrice'
oDiagonal rteckstretch; Turn the head slightly and
thenlook down asif looking in your pocket' hold for
15 seconds
thenrelax' Repeatthriceon eachside'
oExecutivestretch:While sitting, lock handsbehind
head. Bring elbowsback as far as possible'inhale
deeplywhile leaningbackandstretching'
hold for 2O
seconds.
exhaleand relax' Repeatthrice'
oTherttpertticetercises:
Theseexercisesare active
assisted.
acttveexercises,
isometricexercises'
andfree
exercises.
Prevention
of musculoskeletal
iniuries
Theergonomicapproaches
to preventdisorders
play
a greatrlt.. ttt. discipline,which welcomesto play
their role in preventionof them, is the biomechanics
Its principles in view of the applicability mustbe used
*ttit" O"rigningthemachines,work placesandmethods
to be usedby the employeeto perform their task' The
main biomechanicprocedureswhich can help in
preventionof musculoskeletal
disorders
arestraightback
rule,Belly buttonrule,Swingingarmrule' Straightwris
rule,Eyerule,Skinrule,Think first rule'andNo Brair
machinerule.
Throughtheapplicationof biomechanics'we cancar
for peopleUymating their taskseasier'more effectivr
und*or" pioductiveanduseof ergonomicswill go I
longway in preventingthecumulativetraumadisorder
cau--secl
by ill-designedmachines,
work methodsor wor
Places.
I
(Tlrcttuthoris OrthopaedicPhysicalTherapist'Resear
Sclutlur.Depttrtmentof RehabilitationScience'HoIy Cro
Cct
IIePe (Autonomous
)' TiruchirapaIIi 620 00'
ode quervain'sdiseasez
In this case, long abductor
and sometimesthe sort extensorof the thumb are
affected.This is because
of the fibrosisof the sheath
andnarrowing of the intrathecallumen' The workers
who use their thumb repeatedlyget this disease
frequently.
oTriggerfinger: This is a type of tendosynovitis
seen
in workers when any finger other than thumb is
frequently
flexedagain:tresistunce
durins the
pedormance
of a job.
oTendonitis;
In this case.the muscietendon;unction
and muscletissuesaround,get fatiguedbecauseof
the frequent abductionmovement' The main muscle
body stretchesaway from the middle of the body to
which it is attachedleadingto inflammation'
oTenniselbowis alsocalledlateralepicondilitis'In this
condition, pain appearsnear the epicondyleon the
outerside.The
pain is dueto thechronicinflammatory
reactionof the soft tissuein the elbow region'In the
industrial situation it follows the repeatedeffort
requiringpalm upwardandextensionof thewrist with
palm downwards.
iCorpol tunnel syndrome:It is a common disorder
causedby the compressionof median nerve in the
carpaltunnelin the wrist throughwhich thenerueand
the flexors of the fingers passesto the hand and
forearm. The characteristicsymptomsare tingling
sensation.
pain' and numbness
in the finger and the
first threefingers.In industrialsituation' ajob requiring
repeated
u'rist flexion is the cause'
oR)ynaud'sstntlronrcilt is an episodeof constriction
of the small blood vesselsin the peripheryof the
extremityresultingin intemrittent
changes
in colourof
the skin such as pallor or c1'anosis
or both' This is
particularlydueto vibrationandcold tetnperature
in
theindustrial
situation'
oSpaceinvader'swrlsr:Thisisresulted
in thecondition
where frequent finger movementsare required' The
characteristicsymptoms are felling of stiffness
headache,
numbness,
swelling,musclespasm'dunng
movementsor evenon a posturalchanges'
oDisorder of low backz Back disorder is
ffi16-n616n a October2012