Abstract:
Objective To analyze the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), occupational fatigue, and musculoskeletal pain among construction workers, and to explore the relationship between occupational fatigue and WMSDs.
Methods From 2019 to 2020, a convenience sampling method was used to survey 453 workers from eight construction enterprises in Liaoning, Guangdong, and Beijing. The Chinese version of the Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire was used to investigate the incidence of WMSDs over the past year. The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale and the Visual Analog Scale(VAS) were employed to assess occupational fatigue and musculoskeletal pain, respectively. The logistic regression model was applied to analyze the relationship between the degree of musculoskeletal fatigue and the risk of WMSDs, while an independent samples t-test was used to examine the relationship between occupational fatigue and localized musculoskeletal pain.
Results The overall prevalence of WMSDs (regardless of body region) among 453 workers was 43.7%. The top three body regions presenting with WMSDs were the lower back (24.1%), shoulders (18.3%), and neck (14.6%). The overall VAS score for musculoskeletal pain among construction workers was (4.8 ±1.9), indicating a moderate level of pain. An S -shaped function model (R2 = 0.874) was constructed with the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scores as the horizontal axis and the corresponding risk of WMSDs (OR values) as the vertical axis. The model showed a gradual increase in WMSDs risk with increasing RPE scores, a sharp rise when RPE exceeded 4, and then a subsequent plateau. The occupational fatigue group had an increased risk of WMSDs by body region, with OR (95%CI) values as follows: neck, 2.408 (1.421 to 4.080); shoulders, 4.362 (2.592 to 7.343); elbows, 7.090 (4.373 to 11.498); wrists/hands, 3.932 (2.168 to 7.132); and ankles/feet, 2.618 (1.263 to 5.426). Among workers with WMSDs, VAS scores for pain were higher in the fatigued group compared to the non-fatigued group across all body regions, with statistically significant differences in the shoulders, upper back, lower back, and wrists/hands (P < 0.05).
Conclusions Localized occupational fatigue was strongly associated with WMSDs among construction workers. Reducing these workers' fatigue levels could significantly contribute to the prevention of their WMSDs.