Association between heavy PWL and risk of frequent MSP among workers with baseline occasional MSP (crude ORs and AORs with 95% CIs)
| Male workers with occasional pain n=2573 | Female workers with occasional pain n=3142 | |||||||
| Low | Medium–low | Medium–high | High | Low | Medium–low | Medium–high | High | |
| Physical Load Index | ||||||||
| Cases with frequent pain/n | 79/661 | 85/671 | 98/634 | 94/607 | 129/930 | 129/780 | 140/749 | 147/683 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.08 (0.78 to 1.50) | 1.38 (1.00 to 1.89) | 1.40 (1.02 to 1.93) | 1 | 1.24 (0.95 to 1.61) | 1.45 (1.11 to 1.88) | 1.74 (1.34 to 2.27) |
| AOR* (95% CI) | 1 | 1.10 (0.78 to 1.53) | 1.50 (1.01 to 2.22) | 1.59 (1.03 to 2.46) | 1 | 1.26 (0.95 to 1.66) | 1.45 (1.04 to 2.01) | 1.74 (1.24 to 2.45) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.05 (0.75 to 1.48) | 1.39 (0.92 to 2.10) | 1.42 (0.89 to 2.28) | 1 | 1.25 (0.94 to 1.66) | 1.45 (1.04 to 2.02) | 1.74 (1.20 to 2.50) |
| Heavy lifting (at least 15 kg) | ||||||||
| Cases with frequent pain/n | 72/653 | 86/645 | 104/682 | 94/593 | 123/816 | 115/811 | 145/751 | 162/764 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.25 (0.89 to 1.75) | 1.49 (1.08 to 2.05) | 1.57 (1.13 to 2.20) | 1 | 0.93 (0.71 to 1.23) | 1.38 (1.05 to 1.80) | 1.53 (1.18 to 1.98) |
| AOR* (95% CI) | 1 | 1.29 (0.92 to 1.82) | 1.54 (1.08 to 2.20) | 1.73 (1.15 to 2.61) | 1 | 0.93 (0.70 to 1.22) | 1.33 (1.01 to 1.77) | 1.46 (1.05 to 2.02) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.26 (0.89 to 1.77) | 1.46 (1.02 to 2.11) | 1.59 (1.02 to 2.47) | 1 | 0.92 (0.70 to 1.22) | 1.33 (1.00 to 1.77) | 1.43 (1.02 to 2.00) |
| Physically strenuous work | ||||||||
| Cases with frequent pain/n | 75/673 | 93/677 | 98/636 | 90/587 | 127/894 | 125/814 | 143/757 | 150/677 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.27 (0.92 to 1.76) | 1.48 (1.07 to 2.05) | 1.49 (1.07 to 2.07) | 1 | 1.09 (0.84 to 1.43) | 1.42 (1.09 to 1.84) | 1.76 (1.35 to 2.29) |
| AOR* (95% CI) | 1 | 1.29 (0.92 to 1.82) | 1.54 (1.08 to 2.20) | 1.73 (1.15 to 2.61) | 1 | 1.09 (0.82 to 1.43) | 1.40 (1.03 to 1.91) | 1.70 (1.23 to 2.35) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.23 (0.88 to 1.71) | 1.52 (1.00 to 2.32) | 1.47 (0.93 to 2.30) | 1 | 1.08 (0.82 to 1.43) | 1.40 (1.03 to 1.91) | 1.68 (1.21 to 2.34) |
| Fast breathing | ||||||||
| Cases with frequent pain/n | 74/661 | 94/678 | 100/639 | 88/595 | 124/853 | 119/843 | 147/738 | 155/708 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.29 (0.93 to 1.79) | 1.51 (1.09 to 2.09) | 1.41 (1.01 to 1.97) | 1 | 0.97 (0.74 to 1.28) | 1.48 (1.13 to 1.92) | 1.69 (1.30 to 2.20) |
| AOR* (95% CI) | 1 | 1.28 (0.92 to 1.77) | 1.63 (1.08 to 2.45) | 1.63 (1.07 to 2.47) | 1 | 0.96 (0.73 to 1.27) | 1.45 (1.08 to 1.95) | 1.64 (1.21 to 2.22) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.25 (0.89 to 1.75) | 1.47 (0.98 to 2.21) | 1.30 (0.84 to 2.03) | 1 | 0.96 (0.73 to 1.27) | 1.46 (1.09 to 1.97) | 1.62 (1.19 to 2.21) |
| Forward bent position | ||||||||
| Cases with frequent pain/n | 77/676 | 102/727 | 89/590 | 88/580 | 124/856 | 128/828 | 144/760 | 149/698 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.29 (0.94 to 1.77) | 1.41 (1.01 to 1.95) | 1.45 (1.04 to 2.01) | 1 | 1.08 (0.83 to 1.41) | 1.40 (1.07 to 1.82) | 1.61 (1.23 to 2.10) |
| AOR* (95% CI) | 1 | 1.30 (0.93 to 1.81) | 1.58 (1.07 to 2.34) | 1.47 (0.97 to 2.22) | 1 | 1.08 (0.82 to 1.42) | 1.40 (1.01 to 1.96) | 1.61 (1.14 to 2.29) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.23 (0.89 to 1.72) | 1.39 (0.90 to 2.14) | 1.41 (0.88 to 2.24) | 1 | 1.07 (0.81 to 1.40) | 1.41 (1.01 to 1.97) | 1.56 (1.09 to 2.24) |
| Twisted position | ||||||||
| Cases with frequent pain/n | 72/651 | 99/688 | 89/621 | 96/613 | 129/896 | 127/786 | 138/769 | 151/691 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.37 (0.99 to 1.89) | 1.38 (0.99 to 1.93) | 1.53 (1.10 to 2.13) | 1 | 1.14 (0.87 to 1.49) | 1.32 (1.01 to 1.72) | 1.68 (1.29 to 2.19) |
| AOR* (95% CI) | 1 | 1.29 (0.94 to 1.79) | 1.50 (0.99 to 2.28) | 1.56 (1.01 to 2.43) | 1 | 1.16 (0.88 to 1.53) | 1.32 (0.93 to 1.86) | 1.66 (1.16 to 2.37) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.33 (0.95 to 1.87) | 1.37 (0.87 to 2.11) | 1.45 (0.92 to 2.28) | 1 | 1.15 (0.87 to 1.51) | 1.30 (0.91 to 1.85) | 1.63 (1.13 to 2.36) |
| Hands above shoulder level | ||||||||
| Cases with requent pain/n | 77/648 | 85/672 | 105/655 | 89/598 | 124/882 | 137/789 | 129/754 | 155/717 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.09 (0.78 to 1.51) | 1.46 (1.06 to 2.00) | 1.33 (0.96 to 1.85) | 1 | 1.30 (1.00 to 1.69) | 1.27 (0.97 to 1.67) | 1.73 (1.32 to 2.25) |
| AOR* | 1 | 1.09 (0.78 to 1.52) | 1.56 (1.06 to 2.16) | 1.43 (0.94 to 2.16) | 1 | 1.27 (0.96 to 1.67) | 1.17 (0.82 to 1.67) | 1.57 (1.11 to 2.23) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.04 (0.74 to 1.47) | 1.46 (0.98 to 2.18) | 1.27 (0.81 to 1.97) | 1 | 1.26 (0.95 to 1.66) | 1.17 (0.82 to 1.68) | 1.56 (1.09 to 2.23) |
| Repetitive work | ||||||||
| Cases with frequent pain/n | 78/647 | 103/687 | 82/654 | 93/585 | 131/769 | 147/789 | 129/832 | 138/752 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.30 (0.95 to 1.79) | 1.07 (0.76 to 1.49) | 1.43 (1.03 to 1.98) | 1 | 1.12 (0.87.1.46) | 0.92 (0.71 to 1.20) | 1.12 (0.86 to 1.46) |
| AOR* (95% CI) | 1 | 1.09 (0.78 to 1.52) | 1.56 (1.06 to 2.31) | 1.43 (0.94 to 1.16) | 1 | 1.12 (0.86 to 1.46) | 1.05 (0.79 to 1.41) | 1.08 (0.83 to 1.42) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.22 (0.88 to 1.68) | 0.96 (0.68 to 1.36) | 1.21 (0.83 to 1.76) | 1 | 1.07 (0.81 to 1.41) | 1.00 (0.73 to 1.35) | 1.02 (0.76 to 1.37) |
| Frequent bending or twisting | ||||||||
| Cases with frequent pain/n | 81/692 | 82/633 | 104/673 | 89/575 | 141/875 | 130/803 | 123/765 | 151/699 |
| OR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.12 (0.80 to 1.56) | 1.41 (1.03 to 1.93) | 1.43 (1.03 to 1.98) | 1 | 1.01 (0.78 to 1.31) | 1.01 (0.79 to 1.31) | 1.46 (1.13 to 1.89) |
| AOR* (95% CI) | 1 | 1.26 (0.92 to 1.73) | 1.02 (0.73 to 1.42) | 1.33 (0.93 to 1.90) | 1 | 0.95 (0.71 to 1.26) | 0.94 (0.71 to 1.26) | 1.26 (0.91 to 1.73) |
| AOR† (95% CI) | 1 | 1.08 (0.77 to 1.51) | 1.31 (0.92 to 1.85) | 1.33 (0.88 to 2.02) | 1 | 0.94 (0.71 to 1.25) | 0.90 (0.66 to 1.23) | 1.19 (0.84 to 1.70) |
Crude analysis adjusted for age.
*AOR adjusted for age, long-term health condition, psychological distress, smoking, BMI, leisure-time physical activity and decision authority.
†AOR adjusted for age, completed education, long-term health condition, psychological distress, smoking, BMI, leisure-time physical activity and decision authority.
AOR, adjusted OR; BMI, body mass index; MSP, musculoskeletal pain; PWL, physical workload.