OCCUPATIONAL PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND LONG-TERM RISK OF MUSCULOSKELETAL SYMPTOMS - A NATIONAL SURVEY OF POST-OFFICE PENSIONERS

The objective of this work was to address the relationship between phy sical activity in the workplace and subsequent musculoskeletal pain sy ndromes. We performed a survey of 5,042 men and women aged 70-75 years , selected rom the retirement population of a large national employer (the post office). Subjects were sent a short postal questionnaire enq uiring about all occupations held for at least 1 year, the physical ac tivities performed in those jobs, and about recent rheumatic symptoms. The 1-month period prevalence of rheumatic symptoms ranged from 19.9% for hip pain or stiffness in men to 50% for knee pain or stiffness in women. Symptoms were more common in women than men at all sites and t here were significant (P < 0.001) associations between symptoms at dif ferent sites. Obesity was significantly (P < 0.001) associated with th e risk of pain or stiffness at the knee and hip. Prolonged occupationa l exposure (20+ years) to heavy lifting was associated with hip pain ( RR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2-1.8); and prolonged exposure to working with ar ms elevated was associated with an increased risk of Shoulder pain (RR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.2.-1.6). Tall structure (P = 0.003) and heavy lifti ng (P < 0.001) were both associated with increased risks of low back p ain among men. This survey confirms the high prevalence of musculoskel etal symptoms in previous population-based studies Associations betwee n occupational activities and musculoskeletal symptoms were specific f or activity type and and skeletal site involved. Our results simply th at the adverse effects of these occupational activities can be found m any years after cessation of exposure. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss Inc.