Women performing repetitive work: Is there a difference in the prevalence of shoulder pain and pathology in supermarket cashiers compared to the general female population?

• Authors: Valerio Sansone , Cristina Bonora , Paola Boria , Roberto Meroni

Abstracts

EN

Objectives: Shoulder disorders in the occupational environment have been widely studied, but the quality of research and methodology applied vary. Little has been done to ascertain whether shoulder pain in female repetitive workers is due to any verifiable pathology, or to compare findings with the general population. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the prevalence of self-reported shoulder pain in a group of female supermarket cashiers and in the general female population using a standardized questionnaire. Shoulder pain prevalence was then compared to imaging findings in order to assess specific and non-specific pain prevalence. Material and Methods: 196 cashiers and 302 controls filled in a standardized shoulder questionnaire and underwent an imaging examination of a shoulder. Results: The prevalence of shoulder pain was significantly higher in the group of cashiers (46.4%) than in the general population (25.5%) (OR = 1.821; 95% CI: 1.426–2.325). Specific pain prevalence was higher among the controls (19.5%) than among the cashiers (13.2%). Conclusions: The more frequent reports of shoulder pain in the supermarket cashiers are not correlated with a higher prevalence of imaging abnormalities. The causes of these more frequent complaints should be probably sought in the psycho-social and occupational environment.

Keywords

EN

female working-age population; non-specific shoulder pain; prevalence; repetitive work; supermarket cashiers; ultrasonography

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 722-735

Dates

published

2014

Contributors

author

Valerio Sansone

• Orthopaedic Department, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
• Orthopaedic Department, Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institite IRCCS, Milan, Italy

author

Cristina Bonora

• Orthopaedic Department, Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institite IRCCS, Milan, Italy

author

Paola Boria

• Occupational medicine — private practice, Milan, Italy

author

Roberto Meroni

• Department of Surgery and Interdisciplinary Medicine, Program in Physical Therapy, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/s13382-014-0292-6

Biblioteka Nauki

2178884