Title
Work-site musculoskeletal pain risk estimates by trained observers - a prospective cohort study
Author
Coenen, P.
Kingma, I.
Boot, C.R.L.
Douwes, M.
Bongers, P.M.
van Dieën, J.H.
Publication year
2012
Abstract
Work-related musculoskeletal pain (MSP) risk assessments by trained observers are often used in ergonomic practice; however, the validity may be questionable. We investigated the predictive value of work-site MSP risk estimates in a prospective cohort study of 1745 workers. Trained observers estimated the risk of MSP (neck, shoulder or low-back pain) using a three-point scale (high, moderate and low risk) after observing a video of randomly selected workers representing a task group. Associations of the estimated risk of pain and reported pain during a three-year follow-up were assessed using logistic regression. Estimated risk of neck and shoulder pain did (odds ratio, OR: 1.45 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.01-2.08); 1.64 (95% CI: 1.05-2.55)), however, estimated risk of low-back pain did not significantly predict pain (OR: 1.27 (95% CI: 0.91-1.79)). The results show that observers were able to estimate the risk of shoulder and neck pain, whereas they found it difficult to estimate the risk of low-back pain.Practitioner Summary: Work-related musculoskeletal pain risk assessments by observers are often used in ergonomic practice. We showed that observers were able to estimate shoulder and neck pain risk, but had difficulties to estimate the risk of low-back pain. Therefore, observers' risk estimates might provide a useful method for musculoskeletal pain risk assessments. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Subject
Organisation Healthy Living
WH - Work & Health WE - Work & Employment
BSS - Behavioural and Societal Sciences Themalijn
Work and Employment
Workplace
Healthy Living
longitudinal studies
musculoskeletal pain
prospective studies
risk estimates
Cohort studies
Confidence interval
Logistic regressions
Longitudinal study
Low back
Low back pain
musculoskeletal pain
Odds ratios
Predictive values
Prospective study
Shoulder pain
Task groups
Work-related
Ergonomics
Estimation
Health
Logistics
Musculoskeletal system
Occupational risks
Risk assessment
Risk perception
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:4dd8d7d8-a903-4572-8092-414ac8f63d3e
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2012.709540
TNO identifier
465827
ISSN
0014-0139
Source
Ergonomics, 55 (11), 1373-1381
Document type
article