Work limitations due to neck-shoulder pain and physical work demands in older workers: cross-sectional study

Mohammad Bayattork*, Sebastian Venge Skovlund, Emil Sundstrup, Lars Louis Andersen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

PURPOSE: Many older workers are working despite having neck-shoulder pain (NSP), which may give rise to work limitations due to pain, especially among those with high physical work demands. This study investigated the joint association of neck-shoulder pain intensity and physical work demands with work limitations among older workers.

METHODS: In SeniorWorkingLife, workers ≥ 50 years (n = 11,800) replied to questions about NSP intensity, work limitations due to pain, and physical activity demands at work. The odds ratio for having a higher level of work limitations due to pain in relation to neck-shoulder pain intensity and physical work demands were modeled using logistic regression controlled for various confounders.

RESULTS: The results showed that the neck-shoulder pain intensity was associated with work limitations in a dose-response fashion (p < 0.0001). Importantly, a significant interaction existed between neck-shoulder pain intensity and physical activity at work (p < 0.0001), e.g., 77% of workers with high pain and high work demands experienced work limitations due to the pain.

CONCLUSION: Higher neck-shoulder pain intensity and higher physical work demands-and particularly in combination-were associated with higher odds of work limitation due to pain among older workers. Thus, it seems especially important to accommodate work demands through a better work environment for these groups of workers.

Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
Volume94
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)433-440
ISSN0340-0131
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2021

Bibliographical note

This study was supported by a grant from the Danish foundation, TrygFonden.

Keywords

  • Musculoskeletal pain
  • Neck
  • Shoulder
  • Work demands
  • Older worker
  • Work limitation
  • Labor market
  • Occupational health

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