Relationship between musculoskeletal pain complaints and family agriculture work

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Musculoskeletal pain is increasingly common in the field of workers’ health. When the work is characterized by rudimentary activities, as in the case of family farming, which requires the use of manual labor, intense and prolonged working journey, exposure to physical, chemical, biological, mechanical and ergonomic risks, the worker is prone to develop musculoskeletal diseases, and consequently pain. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in family farmers, as well as to identify the body segments mostly affected and evaluate the tools used in the working process that may influence the development of musculoskeletal diseases and pain. METHODS: A research form that includes social-demographic data, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and the visual analog pain scale were used. 150 farmers participated in the study. Statistical tests were applied to the data obtained, including the Fisher Exact. The H0 hypothesis was rejected for a significance level of p≤0.05, stipulating a confidence interval of 95%. RESULTS: The results show a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in surveyed farmers, whose most affected regions were the lower back and shoulders. The pain reported by farmers is associated with the activities performed and the tools used, such as the hoe and the hand spray, used at work. CONCLUSION: Farmers are susceptible to the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, and the prevalence of the referred pain is high.