Upper body musculoskeletal disorders among professional non-government city bus drivers of Kolkata

Abstract

Occupational driving has often been associated with a high prevalence of neck pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of upper body musculoskeletal disorders among professional non-government city male bus drivers. One hundred ten (110) bus drivers were consecutively enrolled in the study. The modified Nordic questionnaire was used as a basis for data collection during 12 months. The associations between individual characteristics, workstation and organizational risk factors for neck pain and the associations between 12-month prevalence of neck pain and prevalence of pain in adjacent regions were examined. The 12-month prevalence of neck pain was the second highest, followed by: lower back, upper back, hand, shoulder, wrist and elbow pain. The main cases of neck pain were: Strenuous and monotonous job, time pressure, prolonged working hours, low income and excessive work pressure. Consequently these factors affected bus drivers' health and work performance.