Hip osteoarthritis. Influence of work with heavy lifting, climbing stairs or ladders, or combining kneeling/squatting with heavy lifting

Lilli Kirkeskov Jensen ^1*

¹ Sygehus Viborg Arbejdsmedicinsk Klinik, Denmark

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lilli.kirkeskov.jensen{at}sygehusviborg.dk.

Accepted 18 June 2007

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the evidence for an association between hip osteoarthritis (OA) and physical work demands. Systematic searches were made and epidemiological studies on hipOA and heavy-lifting including farming and construction work, and climbing stairs were reviewed for the period 1985 to 2007 inclusive. The quality of the studies was assessed and best evidence syntheses of a causal relationship between hipOA and physical demanding work have been made using specific criteria of the different degrees of evidence of causality. Limitations of the studies include few participants, use of different diagnostic criteria, and a poor description of the exposure. It is concluded that moderate to strong evidence was found for a relationship between heavy-lifting and hipOA. The burdens should be at least 10-20 kg and the duration at least 10-20 years to give a clearly increased risk of hipOA. For farmers the risk of hipOA seems doubled after approximately 10 years of farming and the evidence is considered as moderate to strong. The evidence for a relationship between hipOA for construction workers is limited and there is insufficient evidence that climbing stairs or ladders causes hipOA.

Keywords: causal relationship, construction workers, farmers, hip osteoarthrosis, occupation

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