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Associations of office workers’ objectively assessed occupational sitting, standing and stepping time with musculoskeletal symptoms
Coenen, Pieter Healy, Genevieve N. Winkler, Elizabeth A.H. Dunstan, David Owen, Neville Moodie, M. LaMontagne, Anthony D. Eakin, Elizabeth A. O'Sullivan, Peter B. Straker, Leon
Coenen, Pieter
Healy, Genevieve N.
Winkler, Elizabeth A.H.
Dunstan, David
Owen, Neville
Moodie, M.
LaMontagne, Anthony D.
Eakin, Elizabeth A.
O'Sullivan, Peter B.
Straker, Leon
Abstract
We examined the association of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) with workplace sitting, standing and stepping time, as well as sitting and standing time accumulation (i.e. usual bout duration of these activities), measured objectively with the activPAL3 monitor. Using baseline data from the Stand Up Victoria trial (216 office workers, 14 workplaces), cross-sectional associationsof occupational activities with self-reported MSS (low-back, upper and lower extremity symptoms in the last three months) were examined using probit regression, correcting for clustering and adjusting for confounders. Sitting bout duration was significantly (p < 0.05) associated, non-linearly, with MSS, such that those in the middle tertile displayed the highest prevalence of upper extremity symptoms. Other associations were non-significant but sometimes involved large differences in symptom prevalence (e.g. 38%) by activity. Though causation is unclear, these non-linear associations suggest that sitting and its alternatives (i.e. standing and stepping) interact with MSS and this should be considered when designing safe work systems. Practitioner summary: We studied associations of objectively assessed occupational activities with musculoskeletal symptoms in office workers. Workers who accumulated longer sitting bouts reported fewer upper extremity symptoms. Total activity duration was not significantly associated with musculoskeletal symptoms. We underline the importance of considering total volumes and patterns of activity time in musculoskeletal research.
Keywords
musculoskeletal symptoms, office workers, posture, sitting, standing
Date
2018
Type
Journal article
Journal
Ergonomics: an international journal of research and practice in human factors and ergonomics
Book
Volume
61
Issue
9
Page Range
1187-1195
Article Number
ACU Department
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled