RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Why are manual workers at high risk of upper limb disorders? The role of physical work factors in a random sample of workers in France (the Pays de la Loire study) JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine JO Occup Environ Med FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 754 OP 761 DO 10.1136/oem.2005.025122 VO 63 IS 11 A1 M Melchior A1 Y Roquelaure A1 B Evanoff A1 J-F Chastang A1 C Ha A1 E Imbernon A1 M Goldberg A1 A Leclerc YR 2006 UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/63/11/754.abstract AB Objective: To investigate the reasons for the excess risk of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders among manual workers compared with other workers in a random sample of 2656 French men and women (20–59 years old) participating in a study on the prevalence of work related upper limb disorders conducted by France’s National Institute of Health Surveillance. Methods: Prevalence ratios (PR) of physician-diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand (any of six leading disorders, rotator cuff syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome) in manual versus non-manual workers were calculated using Cox regression models with a constant time of follow up and robust variance. Results: 11.3% of men and 15.1% of women were diagnosed with an upper limb disorder. The risk was especially high in manual workers (PRs: 1.40 to 2.10). Physical work factors accounted for over 50% of occupational disparities overall, 62% (men) to 67% (women) for rotator cuff syndrome, and 96% (women) for carpal tunnel syndrome. The authors calculated that under lower levels of physical work exposures, up to 31% of cases among manual workers could have been prevented. Conclusions: In working men and women, upper limb musculoskeletal disorders are frequent. Physical work exposures, such as repetitive and forceful movements, are an important source of risk and in particular account for a large proportion of excess morbidity among manual workers.