Also beautiful music can cause pain…

Playing related musculoskeletal disorders can cause big problems for professional musicians: 

Musculoskeletal pain is common in elite professional musicians. In this study the researchers tried to assess the prevalence and impact of this pain in relation to playing conditions, mental health and performance anxiety. They found that a major personal risk factor is somatizing tendency, but performance anxiety has less impact. Risks differ substantially by instrument played, offering pointers towards prevention.

Filed under: Musculoskeletal problems, Psychosocial exposure, Physical load, Occupational injuries, MSD

Paid employment no risk for pregnancy complications

Within the Dutch Generation R study the relation between employment status, type of unemployment and number of weekly working hours with a wide range of pregnancy outcomes was explored. Information on employment characteristics and pregnancy outcomes was available for 6111 pregnant women. No indications were found that paid employment during pregnancy benefits or endangers the health of mother and child. Within the subgroups of unemployed and employed women we observed, however, that women receiving disability benefit, students and women with long working hours during pregnancy were at risk for some adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Employment status and the risk of pregnancy complications. The Generation R Study
Pauline Jansen*, Henning Tiemeier, Frank Verhulst, Alex Burdorf, Vincent Jaddoe, Albert Hofman, Henriette Moll, Bero Verburg, Eric Steegers, Johan Mackenbach, Hein Raat
Occup Environ Med doi:10.1136/oem.2009.046300

Filed under: Health, Physical load, Pregnancy, Adverse effects, Pregnancy, Work hours

Does occupational diving cause permanent injuries to the ears or vestibular organs?

Permanent injuries to the vestibular end organs may occur in diving due to decompression illness (DCI) or barotraumas. A cohort of 67 men aged 28 ± 5 years (mean ± SD) were followed for 6 years after completing a basic course for working divers. At follow-up, none of the divers had experienced inner ear barotraumas or inner ear DCI. Two cases of untreated probable DCI were diagnosed retrospectively in 27 232 dives. Middle ear barotrauma was reported by 36%. Transient dizziness during or shortly after a dive was reported by 63 and 15%, respectively. This study found no evidence of long-term vestibular effects.

Vestibular effects of diving — a 6-year prospective study
Goplen, F. K., Gronning, M., Aasen, T., Nordahl, S. H. G.
Occupational Medicine 2010 60(1):43-48; doi:10.1093/occmed/kqp148

Filed under: Occupational exposure, Occupational medicine, Physical load, Diving, Ear

Short video explaining carpal tunnel syndrome

Always wanted to know what Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is?
Watch this short film by WorkSafe BC

or this simple, but clear one

Filed under: Musculoskeletal problems, Occupational injury, Physical load, Vibration, Carpal tunnel syndrome

Occupational injuries in emergency responders

Emergency responders frequently incur injuries while providing medical, fire, and law enforcement services. From a study in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System – Occupational Supplement (NEISS-Work) for injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2000-2001, it turned out that sprains and strains were the leading injury (33-41%) among EMS, firefighter, and police occupations. Police officers and career firefighters had the highest injury rates (8.5 and 7.4 injuries per 100 full-time equivalent workers, respectively). The researchers conclude that The physical demands of emergency response are a leading cause of injuries.

Occupational injuries among emergency responders
Audrey A. Reichard, MPH, OTR, Larry L. Jackson, PhD
American Journal of Industrial Medicine, published Online: 5 Nov 2009

Filed under: Musculoskeletal problems, Occupational injury, Physical load, Occupational injuries

Long work hours no problem for construction workers

To investigate changes of physical performance during long working hours and extended workweeks among construction workers, 19 construction workers with 12-h workdays and extended workweeks participated. Heart Rate (HR) during each of the two separate workdays corresponded to a relative workload of 25%. Sub-maximal HR was lower, reaction time faster and handgrip strength higher in the end of each test day. No trends of decreased physical performance were found after a workday or a work period.

Changes in physical performance among construction workers during extended workweeks with 12-hour workdays
Anne Faber , Jesper Strøyer, Nis Hjortskov and Bente Schibye
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, online 27 October 2009

Filed under: Job well being, Physical load, Construction, Work load

CTS: surgery and return to work

Work-related carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a leading cause of lengthy disability.  To characterize associations between utilization of CTS surgery and duration of lost work 8224 workers’ compensation claims filed during 1990-1994 were studied. The findings suggest disability can be minimized by establishing the CTS diagnosis as early as possible and, if surgery is appropriate, conducting surgery without substantial delay and maximizing post-operative efforts to facilitate return to work.

Work-related carpal tunnel syndrome in Washington State workers’ compensation: Utilization of surgery and the duration of lost work
William E. Daniell, MD, MPH, Deborah Fulton-Kehoe, MPH, PhD , Gary M. Franklin, MD, MPH Am. J. Ind. Med. 2009

Filed under: Compensation, Musculoskeletal problems, Physical load, Sickness absence, CTS, Return to Work, Surgery

Jumpers knee: risk factors in sport and/or occupation

Playing volleyball and basketball has a positive association with the onset or worsening of jumper’s knee. Other risk factors are training and playing hours of at least 12 hours per week and/or in combination with weight training of at least 5 hours per week, and/or with playing or training on a hard surface. We did not find a specific occupational risk factor.

Risk factors for developing jumper’s knee in sport and occupation: a review
Ivo JH Tiemessen, P Paul FM Kuijer*, Carel TJ Hulshof and Monique HW Frings-Dresen BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:127 doi:10.1186/1756-0500-2-127

Filed under: Musculoskeletal problems, Physical load

Ergonomic measures may work if used

The primary aim of this follow-up study was to evaluate the association between the use of ergonomic measures and musculoskeletal complaints among construction workers during an informational campaign on sector level. The researchers conclude that despite a large informational campaign, regular use of ergonomic measures remained low in a 4.5 year period. Regular use of the majority of ergonomic measures was associated, although not statistically significantly, with a lower likelihood of lower back or shoulder complaints.

The use of ergonomic measures and musculoskeletal complaints among carpenters and pavers in a 4.5-year follow-up study
Van der Molen HF, Sluiter JK, Frings-Dresen MH. Ergonomics. 2009 Aug;52(8):954-63

Filed under: Musculoskeletal problems, Physical load, Carpenters, Ergonomy, MSD, NCvB