Comparison between exposure estimates for symptomatic (pain >6) and asymptomatic (asymp) individuals
| Exposure variable | Description | N (asymp) | N (full) | Within-job variance (asymp) | Within-job variance (full) | β estimate | P value |
| Physical intensity | How would you describe the intensity of the physical efforts of your work during a typical day? | 26 821 | 34 788 | 6.13 | 6.65 | 0.85 | 0.00 |
| Stand | During a typical day of work: are you standing? | 29 597 | 35 017 | 0.55 | 0.56 | 0.09 | 0.00 |
| Repetition | On a typical day of work: do you repeat the same actions more than two times to four times per minute? | 26 424 | 34 297 | 0.97 | 1.05 | 0.27 | 0.00 |
| Change tasks | On a typical day of work: can you interrupt your work or change tasks or activities for 10 min or more each hour? | 26 581 | 34 520 | 1.11 | 1.13 | −0.11 | 0.00 |
| Rest eyes | During a typical day of work: can you rest your eyes for a few seconds outside of work breaks? | 31 848 | 34 510 | 1.00 | 1.01 | −0.18 | 0.00 |
| Kneel or squat | During a typical day of work: do you kneel or squat? | 29 574 | 34 963 | 0.51 | 0.55 | 0.18 | 0.00 |
| Bend trunk | During a typical day of work: do you lean forward or sideways regularly or for prolonged periods? | 30 853 | 34 920 | 0.62 | 0.66 | 0.27 | 0.00 |
| Drive machinery | On a typical day of work: do you drive construction machinery, a tractor, a self-propelled fork-lift or other mobile machinery at your workplace (except car or truck)? | 29 385 | 34 984 | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.01 | 0.09 |
| Drive car or truck | On a typical day of work: do you drive a vehicle (automobile, truck, bus, ambulance, motorcycle, etc) on public roads, excluding commuting? | 29 357 | 34 951 | 0.49 | 0.50 | 0.04 | 0.00 |
| Handle objects 1–4 kg | How much time do you spend doing the following tasks or activities: handling or regularly moving a load, a part, an object weighing between 1 kg and 4 kg? | 31 116 | 34 644 | 1.34 | 1.38 | 0.25 | 0.00 |
| Handle objects >4 kg | How much time do you spend doing the following tasks or activities: handling or regularly moving a load, a part, an object weighing more than 4 kg? | 28 306 | 34 555 | 0.91 | 0.98 | 0.21 | 0.00 |
| Carry loads <10 kg | How much time do you spend doing the following tasks or activities: carry a load that weighs less than 10 kg? | 28 240 | 34 475 | 0.83 | 0.89 | 0.19 | 0.00 |
| Carry loads 10–25 kg | How much time do you spend doing the following tasks or activities: carry a load that weighs 10 kg to 25 kg? | 28 297 | 34 568 | 0.54 | 0.60 | 0.17 | 0.00 |
| Carry loads >25 kg | How much time do you spend doing the following tasks or activities: carry a load that weighs more than 25 kg? | 28 271 | 34 533 | 0.41 | 0.45 | 0.14 | 0.00 |
| Use vibrating tools | On a typical day of work, do you use: vibrating tools or place your hand(s) on vibrating machines? | 28 437 | 34 747 | 0.16 | 0.19 | 0.06 | 0.00 |
| Use computer screen | During a typical day of work, do you use: a computer screen or control panel? | 31 017 | 34 792 | 0.55 | 0.56 | 0.01 | 0.19 |
| Use keyboard or scanner | During a typical day of work, do you use: a keyboard, a mouse, or similar device (optical pen, scanner) to enter data? | 28 437 | 34 735 | 0.61 | 0.63 | −0.01 | 0.98 |
| Bend neck | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: bending your head forward regularly or for a prolonged period? | 32 048 | 34 732 | 1.14 | 1.14 | 0.36 | 0.00 |
| Arms above shoulder | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: work with one or two arms in the air (above the shoulders) regularly or for a prolonged period? | 32 712 | 34 834 | 0.41 | 0.43 | 0.23 | 0.00 |
| Reach behind | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: reaching regularly for items behind your back? | 29 482 | 34 839 | 0.30 | 0.34 | 0.15 | 0.00 |
| Arms abducted | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: working with one or two arms separated from the body regularly or for a prolonged period? | 32 634 | 34 758 | 0.49 | 0.52 | 0.24 | 0.00 |
| Bend elbow | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: flex the elbow repeatedly or keep the elbow flexed against resistance? | 33 722 | 34 703 | 0.55 | 0.57 | 0.45 | 0.00 |
| Rotate forearm | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: twist your forearm as if you are using a screwdriver? | 32 647 | 34 786 | 0.26 | 0.28 | 0.15 | 0.00 |
| Bend wrist | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: bending the wrist? | 32 599 | 34 721 | 0.50 | 0.53 | 0.30 | 0.00 |
| Press base of hand | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: press/tap with the base of the hand on a surface or on a tool? | 33 127 | 34 736 | 0.19 | 0.20 | 0.11 | 0.00 |
| Finger pinch | How long do you spend in the following posture during a typical day of work: pinch objects with your thumb and forefinger. | 33 128 | 34 738 | 0.69 | 0.71 | 0.30 | 0.00 |
| Work outdoors | How long do you spend working outdoors during a typical day of work? | – | 35 187 | – | – | – | – |
Within-job pooled variance between full cohort (symptomatic + asymptomatic workers) and asymptomatic cohort. Linear mixed model (β estimates and p values). Included are descriptions of CONSTANCES exposure questions.