Narainsamy Nevinia, Akpa-Inyang Francis Fabian, Onwubu Stanley Chibuzor, Govender Nalini, Pillay Julian David
Department of Chiropractic, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4001, South Africa.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4001, South Africa.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jan 9;22(1):79. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22010079.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid shift to remote working, which affected ergonomic conditions and increased the risk of upper body musculoskeletal pain (MSP). This study assessed the prevalence and impact of upper body MSP (affecting the head, neck, shoulders, and back) among academic staff at a University of Technology during the pandemic. Data were collected from 110 participants through an online, descriptive, cross-sectional survey adapted from the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire, and the McCaffrey Initial Pain Assessment Tool. The survey examined demographics, ergonomic practices, MSP, and psychological well-being before and during the pandemic. The sample included 59.1% female participants, with most being middle-aged. Persistent MSP was common, with 54.5% reporting neck pain and 59.1% experiencing back pain during the pandemic, alongside a significant decline in wrists in neutral position ergonomics ( = 0.012). Psychological well-being also worsened, as participants reported lower levels of cheerfulness, calmness, and energy than before the pandemic. While 81.9% of 90.9% participants with pre-existing MSP continued to experience pain, a small (9%) but notable proportion saw a decline in MSP during this period. These findings highlight a strong relationship between remote working conditions and MSP, with poor ergonomics and psychological distress contributing significantly to persistent pain. The results emphasise the need for institutions to provide ergonomic support, such as appropriate equipment and workstation adjustments, alongside mental health resources to mitigate the long-term impacts of remote working on physical and mental health.
新冠疫情导致迅速转向远程工作，这影响了人体工程学条件，并增加了上身肌肉骨骼疼痛（MSP）的风险。本研究评估了疫情期间一所理工大学学术人员中上半身MSP（影响头部、颈部、肩部和背部）的患病率及其影响。通过一项在线描述性横断面调查收集了110名参与者的数据，该调查改编自荷兰肌肉骨骼问卷、标准化北欧问卷和麦卡弗里初始疼痛评估工具。该调查考察了疫情之前和期间的人口统计学、人体工程学实践、MSP和心理健康状况。样本中女性参与者占59.1%，大多数为中年人。持续性MSP很常见，疫情期间54.5%的人报告有颈部疼痛，59.1%的人有背部疼痛，同时中立位手腕人体工程学显著下降（P = 0.012）。心理健康状况也有所恶化，因为参与者报告说，与疫情之前相比，愉悦感、平静感和活力水平较低。虽然90.9%的已有MSP的参与者中有81.9%仍有疼痛，但在此期间有一小部分（9%）但值得注意的人MSP有所减轻。这些发现凸显了远程工作条件与MSP之间的紧密关系，人体工程学不佳和心理困扰是持续性疼痛的重要因素。结果强调机构需要提供人体工程学支持，如合适的设备和工作站调整，以及心理健康资源，以减轻远程工作对身心健康的长期影响。
