Musculoskeletal pain and limitations in work ability in Swedish marines: a cross-sectional survey of prevalence and associated factors

• Published in: BMJ open Vol. 5; no. 10; p. e007943
• Main Authors: Monnier, Andreas, Larsson, Helena, Djupsjöbacka, Mats, Brodin, Lars-Åke, Äng, Björn O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.01.2015; BMJ Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Armed forces; Arthritis; Back pain; Body mass index; Cross-Sectional Studies; cross-sectional survey; Disability Evaluation; EPIDEMIOLOGY; Female; Health risk assessment; Health Surveys; Humans; Knee; Male; marines; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Military Personnel; Military training; Musculoskeletal pain; Musculoskeletal Pain - epidemiology; Musculoskeletal Pain - rehabilitation; Musculoskeletal Pain/epidemiology/rehabilitation; OCCUPATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE; Occupational and Environmental Medicine; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Occupational Diseases - rehabilitation; Occupational Diseases/epidemiology/rehabilitation; Occupations; pain limiting work ability; Participation; Population; Prevalence; PRIMARY CARE; Prospective Studies; PUBLIC HEALTH; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Self evaluation; self-assessment; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sweden; Sweden - epidemiology; Young Adult; Sweden; PUBLIC HEALTH; EPIDEMIOLOGY; PRIMARY CARE; OCCUPATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-007943

ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of self-rated musculoskeletal pain and pain limiting work ability in Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) marines, and to study factors potentially associated with pain limiting work ability for the most prevalent pain regions reported.DesignPopulation-based, cross-sectional survey.ParticipantsThere were 272 SAF marines from the main marine battalion in Sweden included in the study.OutcomesSelf-assessed musculoskeletal pain and pain limiting the marines' work ability within a 6-month period, as obtained from structured questionnaires. The association of individual, health and work-related factors with musculoskeletal pain limiting work ability was systematically regressed with multiple logistic models, estimating OR and 95% CI.ResultsMusculoskeletal pain and pain limiting work ability were most common in the back, at 46% and 20%, and lower extremities at 51% and 29%, respectively. Physical training ≤1 day/week (OR 5.3, 95% CI 1.7 to 16.8); body height ≤1.80 m (OR 5.0, 95% CI 1.6 to 15.1) and ≥1.86 m (OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.4 to 14.1); computer work 1/4 of the working day (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.0 to 10.0) and ≥1/2 (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 10.1) of the working day were independently associated with back pain limiting work ability. None of the studied variables emerged significantly associated with such pain for the lower extremities.ConclusionsOur findings show that musculoskeletal pain and resultant limitations in work ability are common in SAF marines. Low frequency of physical training emerged independently associated with back pain limiting work ability. This suggests that marines performing physical training 1 day per week or less are suitable candidates for further medical evaluation and secondary preventive actions. While also associated, body height and computer work need further exploration as underlying mechanisms for back pain limiting work ability. Further prospective studies are necessary to clarify the direction of causality.