A Research on Home Workers' Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Pandemic Period

Working life has been transformed and its dynamics experienced a new break with the Covid-19 outbreak which made working home model as a new normal. Coronavirus caused significant changes in all aspects of life, which an important one was compelling people staying and working home. Hence, increasing sedentary lifestyle and spending more time on internet and television affected musculoskeletal health negatively. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of working home arrangements on work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) during Covid-19 pandemic. Research was conducted with a group of 424 participants who experienced working home style in pandemic period in Turkey. A questionnaire containing demographic questionnaire and Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) was sent to participants. The findings of this study showed that the working home arrangements during pandemic period worsened the musculoskeletal health of the participants. It is predicted that this deterioration will continue to increase with the continuation of working from home. Consequently, in order to decrease this negative situation, organizations and individuals should take the necessary precautions, regulations and training.

Ergonomic Evaluation of Workstation Components in Work from Home Settings During COVID -19 and Its Correlation with Musculoskeletal Symptoms: A Self-Reliant Approach

Covid-19 has mandated work from home and has brought to focus more personal responsibility towards health and working environment. This is a bigger challenge considering the dearth of knowledge on ergonomics and resources for an appropriate work-station set-up. The sudden rise in the reported musculoskeletal discomfort is consistently described in various recent studies. The early intervention strategy may be to identify the lacuna in the work setting by making individual self-reliant in evaluating their respective work-stations. This study was conducted with an objective to document self-evaluated computer workstation components in work from home settings and correlate these findings with reported musculoskeletal complaints. A cross- sectional survey was conducted using Google form structured using guidelines from “Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Research Services, Division of Occupational Health and Safety website and Nordic pain questionnaire, used to identify the musculoskeletal symptoms. 238 people volunteered and completed the survey form. A significant negative correlation was observed between Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist scores and VAS score (r = −0.386, p < 0.01), and with areas of discomfort (r = −0.292, p < 0.01). Work-related musculoskeletal discomfort at work from home settings is associated with inappropriate design, non-availability of peripherals to fit the work station and simpler adjustments as reported via structured self evaluations by workers. Active self-reliant worker empowered to address ergonomic needs could be a valuable strategy during the pandemic. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Musculoskeletal Discomfort Faced by Interior Design Students During Online Learning

Musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent in young adults in the present times. A major section of this age group are the students pursuing higher education. In the current pandemic situation due to COVID-19, the students have been forced into attending classes through online mode and so the infrastructure available at home may not be optimal ergonomically, leading to musculoskeletal discomfort amongst the students. In Interior Design course, the students are required to do practical work in a sitting position using the furniture available at home. They are also required to attend classes through computers, tablets and smartphones, which can also lead to musculoskeletal discomfort. As these students are exposed to the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders, the present study was conducted with objectives (a) to gain insight into working methods and home workspace of the students, (b) to identify incidence of musculoskeletal discomfort experienced by interior design students during online learning and (c) to find out the perceived causes of musculoskeletal discomfort by the students. The sample of the study was 77 under-graduate students pursuing Interior Design course and data was collected using questionnaire. The findings of the study revealed that these students are in need of proper workspace and work environment at home, they need guidance in optimizing there working methods and developing proper work schedules and lastly, they need awareness regarding maintaining correct postures during sit-down work as well as corrective measures for optimizing their current work-station at home. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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.

PREVALENCE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN AND DISCOMFORT DUE TO ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS DURING LOCKDOWN IN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS: OUTCOMES OF THE NEW NORMAL

Purpose: The sudden lockdown due to COVID-19 in India led to closure of schools and colleges. This resulted in an increased usage of online mode of study, with a more sedentary lifestyle. The survey study aimed to analyze the prevalence of any musculoskeletal problem in students and teachers due to the same. Methodology: A Google Form was distributed by a snowball sampling technique using various social media platforms. A total of 715 responses were received. Results: Maximum respondents were in the age range of 18-25 years. Eighty eight percent of participants in the survey were involved in the online mode of education, with 60.8% experiencing some form of musculoskeletal pain or discomfort;71% of people believed that the cause of pain was online working. Neck pain (51.3%) followed by low back pain (33.4%) and headaches (29.8%) were commonly reported. University teachers reported maximum pain followed by university students, school teachers and school students. Of all the respondents, 60.8% people admitted to adopting awkward postures while at work, whereas only 27.6% of them exercised to relieve pain and discomfort. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to develop appropriate intervention strategies for people involved in sedentary online work to prevent the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain and discomfort. Physical therapy can play a major role in managing this lifestyle hazard.

Relationship of Work Posture During WFH Setup on Musculoskeletal Discomfort of Students

The introduction of the COVID-19 had a huge impact on the delivery of education. To make the most out of the time spent at home during quarantine, students are now taking up online classes implemented to them by their respective schools. This means prolonged sitting behind their computers while learning. The objective of this study is to find various relationships between the postures of students and their corresponding discomforts experienced during online classes. The ROSA method together with the application of the Corlett and Bishop's discomfort scale are used. The researchers found out that long durations of sitting while having online classes does lead to students experiencing more painful discomforts thus affecting the efficiency of how they study. It can also be concluded that the majority of the dimensions based on the ROSA method have the most effect on the lower back of the respondents, were more particularly the dimensions of the Monitor and Headset are the only dimensions that do not play a role in affecting any body parts. © IEOM Society International.

The role of at home workstation ergonomics and gender on musculoskeletal pain.

BACKGROUND: The recent mandate for university faculty and staff to work-from-home (WFH) during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced employees to work with sub-optimal ergonomic workstations that may change their musculoskeletal discomfort and pain. As women report more work-related musculoskeletal discomfort (WMSD), this effect may be exacerbated in women. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe university employee at-home office workstations, and explore if at-home workstation design mediates the effect of gender on musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: University employees completed a survey that focused on the WFH environment, at home workstation design and musculoskeletal pain. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to analyze the responses. RESULTS: 61% of respondents reported an increase in musculoskeletal pain, with the neck, shoulders and lower back being reported most frequently. Women reported significantly greater musculoskeletal pain, but this relationship was significantly mediated by poor ergonomic design of the home workstation. Improper seat-height and monitor distance were statistically associated with total-body WMSD. CONCLUSIONS: WFH has worsened employee musculoskeletal health and the ergonomic gap between women and men in the workspace has persisted in the WFH environment, with seat height and monitor distance being identified as significant predictors of discomfort/pain.

Impact of 10-Min Daily Yoga Exercises on Physical and Mental Discomfort of Home-Office Workers During COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effects of 10 min/day of yoga for 1 month on musculoskeletal discomfort and mood disturbance of home-office workers. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to switch to teleworking. The abrupt change from an office setting to an improvised home-office may negatively affect the musculoskeletal and emotional health of workers. By providing mental and physical exercises, yoga may be effective in reducing adverse effects. METHOD: Fifty-four participants (42 women, 12 men) followed a 1-month yoga program, while 40 participants (26 women, 14 men) continued with their common work routine. The Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire was used to evaluate severity, interference with work and frequency of pain, and to obtain a total discomfort score for 25 body areas. Mood disturbance was evaluated with the Profile of Mood States questionnaire. Both groups completed both questionnaires, before and after the experimentation period. RESULTS: After 1 month, for the yoga group only, significant reductions were observed in the discomfort of eyes, head, neck, upper and lower back, right wrist, and hips/buttocks, as well as reductions in discomfort severity, frequency and interference for the neck, upper and lower back. Total mood disturbance was also significantly reduced for the yoga group only. No favorable changes occurred for the control group. CONCLUSION: The yoga intervention program appears to reduce musculoskeletal discomfort and mood disturbance of home-office workers. APPLICATION: Sedentary workers may benefit from 10 min/day of yoga during the workday to attenuate potential physical and emotional discomfort during the current pandemic and beyond.