• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was designed to define the musculoskeletal pain levels among selected hairdressers and the risk factors for these musculoskeletal pain levels. Methods: A survey was conducted from July 1 to August 10, 2011 among 199 hair dressers working in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province using a self-administered Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. The affecting factors for musculoskeletal pain levels were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Results: The musculoskeletal pain levels by body region were low back(6.19), ankle/foot(6.14), shoulder(5.27), knee(5.27), back(5.23) and wrist/hand(5.18). In stepwise regression, significant actors affecting the level of pain by body region were height on wrist/hand, low back, and knee and age on elbow. Conclusions: Based on these results, in order to prevent musculoskeletal diseases among hair dressers, standing time should be decreased and stretching should be performed regularly to protect the low back and knee.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 2015

Background: Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is a common and disabling problem among carpet weavers and is linked to physical and psychosocial factors of work. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MSP, its psychosocial risk factors, and association of pain in each pair of anatomical sites among carpet weavers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed among 546 hand-woven carpet weavers in rural small-scale workshops of Iran. Data were collected by using parts of a standardized CUPID (Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability) questionnaire focused on MSP in 10 body sites, including the low-back, neck, both right and left shoulders, elbows, wrists/hands, individual, physical and psychosocial risk factors. Statistical analysis was performed applying logistic regression models. Results: Prevalence of MSP in at least one body sitewas 51.7% over the past month. The most common sites were low back and right shoulder pain 27.4% and 20.1%, respectively. A significant difference was found between the mean number of painful anatomical sites and the level of education, age, physical loading at work, time pressure, lack of support, and job dissatisfaction. In pairwise comparisons, strongest association was found between pain in each bilateral anatomical site (odds ratio = 11.6-35.3; p < 0.001). Conclusion: In home-based workshops of carpet weaving, psychosocial factors and physical loading were associated with MSP. This finding is consistent with studies conducted among other jobs. Considering the preventive programs, the same amount of attention should be paid to psychosocial risk factors and physical loading. Also, further longitudinal studies are needed to investigate the relationship of psychological factors.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.212-219
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• 2017

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a major problem for office workers. Individuals adopting poor postures during prolonged sitting have a considerably increased risk of experiencing LBP. This study aimed to investigate seat pressure distribution characteristics, i.e., average pressure, peak pressure ratio, frequency of postural shift, and body perceived discomfort (BPD), during 1 hour of sitting among office workers with and without chronic LBP. Methods: Forty-six participants (chronic LBP = 23, control = 23) typed a standardized text passage at a computer work station for an hour. A seat pressure mat device was used to collect the seat pressure distribution data. Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale. Results: Office workers with chronic LBP sat significantly more asymmetrically than their healthy counterparts. During 1-hour sitting, all workers appeared to assume slumped sitting postures after 20 minutes of sitting. Healthy workers had significantly more frequent postural shifts than chronic LBP workers during prolonged sitting. Conclusion: Different sitting characteristics between healthy and chronic LBP participants during 1 hour of sitting were found, including symmetry of sitting posture and frequency of postural shift. Further research should examine the roles of these sitting characteristics on the development of LBP.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.405-422
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• 2010

Occupational musculoskeletal disorders currently account for the largest proportion of the occupational illnesses in Korea. In this research, status of musculoskeletal disorders among the occupational illnesses was examined through workers' compensation claims data. Types and characteristics of musculoskeletal disorders were looked at other data set as well. The data sets included epidemiological investigation data reported by Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, and data collected from occupational disease surveillance reports and Korean occupational health-related scientific journals. Number of cases, incidence rate and insurance benefits for occupational musculoskeletal disorders in Korea are increasing every year. In addition, musculoskeletal disorders occurrence is shifted from large enterprises group to small-and-medium group, from manufacturing to service sector, and from production workers to office and professional workers. Although low back pain is still most common, its occurrence characteristics is gradually shifted from traumatic to cumulative while musculoskeletal disorders are somewhat seemingly moved from lumbar to upper limb body part. Musculoskeletal disorders were observed to be more diverse and prevalent in epidemiological investigations or surveillance data rather in workers' compensation claims data. Musculoskeletal disorders occurrence is related to demographic factors, occupational psychosocial factors, and ergonomic risk factors at workplace for which appropriate preventive measures needed to be made accordingly.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.94-102
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to review existing assessment tools for patients with low back pain and improve them through combination. A total of 314 patients with low back pain participated. Their condition was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ), the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPD), and the Back Pain Functional Scale (BPFS). Rasch analysis was applied to identify inappropriate items, item difficulties, and the separation index. In this study, the 'sex life' item of the ODQ (10 items) and the 'sleeping' item of the BPFS (12 items) showed misfit statistics, whereas all items of the QBPD (20 items) were appropriate. After combining the ODQ, QBPD and BPFS, Rasch analysis was applied. The 'pain intensity', and the 'sex life' item of the ODQ and the 'throw a ball' item of QBPD showed misfit statistics. These 3 items were retained for further analysis. The remaining 42 combined ODQ-QBPD-BPFS items were arranged according to difficulty. For all subjects, the most difficult item was 'pain intensity', whereas the easiest was 'take food out of the refrigerator'. As the separation index of 42 combined ODQ-QBPD-BPFS was higher than that of the three questionnaires separately, difficulty of items varied with some need for rearrangement. The results of this study confirmed the possibility and need for a new back pain disability assessment tool, and produced one. Further study is needed to refine the questionnaire in consideration of psychosocial and occupational factors.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.162-172
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was to explore factors affecting musculoskeletal symptoms of the child care centers' teachers in Korea. Methods: This study was a descriptive research, using a cross-sectional survey. Convenience samples of 230 child care centers' teachers aged 20 to 65 were selected. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure general characteristics, job-related characteristics, exercise habit, fatigue and musculoskeletal symptoms of the body parts. The data were analyzed with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: Shoulder pain (73.5%), low back pain (72.6%) and wrist/hand pain (57.8%) were the most common musculoskeletal symptoms. Shoulder pain significantly differed depending on the age of children in charge at the child care center (p<.047). The exercise habit was related to low back pain (p<.028) and the career was linked to wrist/hand pain (p<.046). The logistic regression analysis revealed exercise habit and fatigue were the risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms of many body parts. Conclusion: These results suggest that interventions targeting the child care centers' teachers should be considered job-related characteristics and fatigue in order to prevent musculoskeletal disorder. Thus, there continues to be a need to develop exercise program for the child care centers' teachers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2007

Purpose : This study was to find the effects of conservative therapy and sling therapy program of strength exercise and Gymnic Ball therapy program of stabilizer exercise and to find the effects of pain relieve through visual analogue scale(VAS) in chronic low back pain patients (male; 18, female;22). Methods : The measurement of pain was performed to both group by VAS from pre treatment to one to seven weeks. Results : 1. By the result of one-way ANOVA, Both group was the statistical significance in VAS during seven weeks(p<.05). 2. By the result of paired t-test, Both group was not statistical significance between the values of pre treatment and treatment after six and seven weeks but was statistical significance one week to seven weeks(p<.05). Conclusion : It was concluded that low back pain would be relieved by the progressive exercise and education for low back pain, and that the interventions would be helpful to prevent additional injuries by increasing the flexibility and muscular endurance.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2010

Objectives: To quantify disability level in salespeople with concurrent low back pain (LBP) and to determine the relative associations between demographic, occupational, psychosocial and clinical factors and back disability. LBP is the most common cause of work-related disability in people under 45 years of age and the most expensive cause of work-related disability, in terms of workers' compensation and medical expenses. Evidence suggests high prevalence of LBP in salespeople. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in which 184 saleswomen with a current episode of self-reported LBP working in a large up-scale department store filled out a battery of 6 self-administered questionnaires and received a standardised physical examination. Results: Saleswomen with concurrent LBP had low disability levels. Factors significantly associated with disability were pain intensity, measured by a visual analogue scale, in the past week (p < 0.001), physical and mental health status (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, respectively), fear avoidance scores for both work and physical activities (p = 0.031, p = 0.014, respectively), past history of LBP (p = 0.019), and self-reported frequency of pushing or pulling objects placed in high positions during work (p = 0.047). A significant level (45%) of the variance in disability status was explained by these variables. Conclusion: In clinical management of LBP workers who required prolonged standing, such as salespeople, clinicians should look for modifiable risk factors associated with disability. Specific measures need to be taken to prevent disability due to LBP among salespeople.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.98-105
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• 2022

Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a common chronic condition among sedentary workers that causes long-term productivity loss. This study aimed to identify the relationships of individual and occupational factors with LBP among Bangladeshi online professionals. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 468 full-time online professionals who usually worked in a sitting position. One-month LBP complaints were assessed using a musculoskeletal subscale of subjective health complaints. The chi-square test was used to measure associations between categorical predictors and LBP, and multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify the variables significantly associated with LBP. Results: LBP within the last month was reported by 65.6% of participants. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that age >30 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23 to 0.70) and being married (aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.97) had significant negative associations with LBP. Significant positive associations were found for spending >50 hours weekly on average working in a sitting position (aOR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.49), being overweight and obese (aOR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.99), sleeping on a soft mattress (aOR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.06 to 3.80), and ex-smoking status (aOR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.41 to 7.87). Conclusions: A high prevalence of LBP was found among full-time online professionals. Long working hours in a sitting position showed a significant association with developing LBP. Smoking history, body mass index, and sleeping arrangements should also be considered while considering solutions for LBP prevalence among online professionals.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 1988

Recently a new regime, called "back school" is advocated for the purpose of rapidly and economically returning a patient to full functional fitness and normal occupational activities. Assuming that this functional and vocational restoration is a goal of a regabilitation program, it is apparent that early recovery and higher success rate are major concern. In this study, a mixture model is developed and used to evaluate the recovery process of low back pain (LBP) patients in a rehabilitation program. The model provides (1) the probability of being recovered, and (2) the rate of recovery. Patients with gradual onset, with higher education, or of young age tend to show better prognosis.