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Impact of work from home in covid-19: A survey on musculoskeletal problems in it professionals
Corresponding Author(s) : Atiya A Shaikh
International Journal of Allied Medical Sciences and Clinical Research,
Vol. 8 No. 3 (2020): 2020 Volume - 8 Issue-3
Abstract
Background and need of study
There has been abundant evidence about IT professionals suffering from different body aches and pains due to improper ergonomics. In current scenario of work from home due to Corona pandemic knowing their musculoskeletal disease status will help the health care professionals to devise a plan for prevention and treatment for this professional group.
Aim
To find common musculoskeletal problems faced by computer professionals while doing work from home in lockdown.
Method
Questions about current and previous musculoskeletal problems, working conditions and ways to tackle these problems were circulated using Google form to computer professionals doing work from home from duration of 15 April 2020 to 15 May 2020.Descriptive analysis was done to gather inferences.
Results
Percentage of shoulder pain/trapezius pain, elbow pain, wrist pain increased by double along with a significant increase in percentage of headache, eye strains and back pain in this period. 71% of the participants leaned in front to look properly at screen or preferred to lie down and work and 40% kept screen too close. 70% of the participants attributed it to faulty posture and increased screen time. 46% participants gave credit to the right posture, taking frequent breaks and exercises for reduction in their pain.
Conclusion
Musculoskeletal problems have increased in computer professionals in lockdown as compared to before. Prevalence of Neck/ shoulder pain, elbow pain, wrist pain and eye strain has increased in lockdown. Inappropriate postures in spite of having good works station, disturbance while working at home and increased working hours seems to be the reason for this increase in problems. This is dealt successfully by them thru frequent breaks and adapting correct postures.
Keywords
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- . Wang C, Horby PW, Hayden FG, Gao GF. A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern. The Lancet. 395(10223), 2020, 470-3.
- . Amanda M, Zuniga F, Cote JN. Effects of dual monitor computer work versus laptop work on cervical muscular and proprioceptive characteristics of males and females. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. 13(1), 2017, 339-47.
- . Kim GY, Ahn CS, Jeon HW, Lee CR. Effects of the use of smartphones on pain and muscle fatigue in the upper extremity. J. Phys. Ther. 24(12), 2012, 255-8.
- . O‟Sullivan PB, Dankaerts W, Burnett AF, Farrell GT, Jefford E, Naylor CS, et al. Effect of different upright sitting postures on spinal-pelvic curvature and trunk muscle activation in a pain-free population. Spine 31(19), 2006, E707–12.
- . Kim GY, Ahn CS, Jeon HW, Lee CR. Effects of the use of smartphones on pain and muscle fatigue in the upper extremity. J. Phys. Ther. 24(12), 2012, 255-8.
- . Chen P, Mao L, Nassis GP, Harmer P, Ainsworth BE, Li F. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): The need to maintain regular physical activity while taking precautions. J Sport Health Sci 9, 2020, 103-4.
- . Rubin GJ, Wessely S. The psychological effects of quarantining a city. Bmj. 368, 2020.
- . Ho CS, Chee CY, Ho RC. Mental health strategies to combat the psychological impact of COVID-19 beyond paranoia and panic. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 49(1), 2020, 1-3.
- . Cao W, Fang Z, Hou G, Han M, Xu X, Dong J, Zheng J. The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry research. 112934, 2020.
- . Tan BY, Chew NW, Lee GK, Jing M, Goh Y, Yeo LL, Zhang K, Chin HK, Ahmad A, Khan FA, Shanmugam GN. Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers in Singapore. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2020.
- . Bhanderi D, Choudhary SK, Parmar L, Doshi V. Influence of psychosocial workplace factors on occurrence of musculoskeletal discomfort in computer operators. Indian J Community Med. 32(3), 2007, 225-6.
- . Demure B, Luippold RS, Bigelow C, Ali D, Mundt KA, Liese B. Video display terminal workstation improvement program: I. Baseline associations between musculoskeletal discomfort and ergonomic features of workstations. J Occup Environ Med. 42(8), 2000, 783-91.
- . Karlqvist LK, Hagberg M, Koster M, Wenemark M, Anell R. Musculo skeletal symptoms among computer assisted design (CAD) operators and evaluation of a self-assessment questionnaire. Int J Occup Environ Health 2(3), 1996, 185-94.
- . Ming Z, Narhi M, Siivola J. Neck and shoulder pain related to computer use. Pathophysiology. 11(1), 2004, 51-6.
- . AbhayMudey, M. Prasad. Study of Prevalence of Health Problems Among Computer Professionals in Selected Information Technology (IT) Company In Nagpur District of Central India. Innovative Journal of Medical and Health Science, 4(3), 2014, 96 - 98.
- . Chavda E, Parmar S, Parmar M. Current practice of laptop computer and related health problems: A survey based on ergonomics. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2(4), 2013, 1024-1026.
- . Saleem M, Priya S, Govindarajan R, Balaji E, DiwaharAnguraj J, ShylendraBabu PG, Dhivyapriya S. A cross sectional study on work related musculoskeletal disorders among software professionals. Int J Community Med Public Health 2, 2015, 367-72.
- . Soroush M, Hassani H. Musculoskeletal complaints associated with computer use and its ergonomic risks for office workers of a medical sciences university in Tehran. Ann Mil Health Sci Res. 13(1), 2015, 2-6.
- . Talwar R., Kapoor R., Puri K., Bansal K., and Singh S, ―A Study of Visual and Musculoskeletal Health Disorders among Computer Professionals in NCR Delhi‖, Indian J Community Med, 34, 2019, 326 – 328.
- . Wahlstrom J, ―Ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders and computer work‖, Occupational Medicine, 55, 2005, 168–176.
- . Vergara, M., Page, A.. Relationship between comfort and back posture and mobility in sitting-posture. Applied Ergonomics 33, 2002, 1–8.
- . Logaraj M, Priya VM, Seetharaman N, Hedge SK. Practice of Ergonomic Principles and computer vision syndrome (CVS) among undergraduates’ students in Chennai. Natl J Community Med. 3(2), 2013, 111-6.
- . Galinsky TL, Swanson NG, Sauter SL, Hurrell JJ, Schleifer LM. A field study of supplementary rest breaks for data-entry operators. Ergonomics. 43(5), 2000, 622-38.
- . Shbair FS, Abdulla FA. Risk Factors of Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Professional Computer Users in Amman, Jordan. Journal of Al Azhar University. 12, 2010, 36-44.
References
. Wang C, Horby PW, Hayden FG, Gao GF. A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern. The Lancet. 395(10223), 2020, 470-3.
. Amanda M, Zuniga F, Cote JN. Effects of dual monitor computer work versus laptop work on cervical muscular and proprioceptive characteristics of males and females. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. 13(1), 2017, 339-47.
. Kim GY, Ahn CS, Jeon HW, Lee CR. Effects of the use of smartphones on pain and muscle fatigue in the upper extremity. J. Phys. Ther. 24(12), 2012, 255-8.
. O‟Sullivan PB, Dankaerts W, Burnett AF, Farrell GT, Jefford E, Naylor CS, et al. Effect of different upright sitting postures on spinal-pelvic curvature and trunk muscle activation in a pain-free population. Spine 31(19), 2006, E707–12.
. Kim GY, Ahn CS, Jeon HW, Lee CR. Effects of the use of smartphones on pain and muscle fatigue in the upper extremity. J. Phys. Ther. 24(12), 2012, 255-8.
. Chen P, Mao L, Nassis GP, Harmer P, Ainsworth BE, Li F. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): The need to maintain regular physical activity while taking precautions. J Sport Health Sci 9, 2020, 103-4.
. Rubin GJ, Wessely S. The psychological effects of quarantining a city. Bmj. 368, 2020.
. Ho CS, Chee CY, Ho RC. Mental health strategies to combat the psychological impact of COVID-19 beyond paranoia and panic. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 49(1), 2020, 1-3.
. Cao W, Fang Z, Hou G, Han M, Xu X, Dong J, Zheng J. The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry research. 112934, 2020.
. Tan BY, Chew NW, Lee GK, Jing M, Goh Y, Yeo LL, Zhang K, Chin HK, Ahmad A, Khan FA, Shanmugam GN. Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers in Singapore. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2020.
. Bhanderi D, Choudhary SK, Parmar L, Doshi V. Influence of psychosocial workplace factors on occurrence of musculoskeletal discomfort in computer operators. Indian J Community Med. 32(3), 2007, 225-6.
. Demure B, Luippold RS, Bigelow C, Ali D, Mundt KA, Liese B. Video display terminal workstation improvement program: I. Baseline associations between musculoskeletal discomfort and ergonomic features of workstations. J Occup Environ Med. 42(8), 2000, 783-91.
. Karlqvist LK, Hagberg M, Koster M, Wenemark M, Anell R. Musculo skeletal symptoms among computer assisted design (CAD) operators and evaluation of a self-assessment questionnaire. Int J Occup Environ Health 2(3), 1996, 185-94.
. Ming Z, Narhi M, Siivola J. Neck and shoulder pain related to computer use. Pathophysiology. 11(1), 2004, 51-6.
. AbhayMudey, M. Prasad. Study of Prevalence of Health Problems Among Computer Professionals in Selected Information Technology (IT) Company In Nagpur District of Central India. Innovative Journal of Medical and Health Science, 4(3), 2014, 96 - 98.
. Chavda E, Parmar S, Parmar M. Current practice of laptop computer and related health problems: A survey based on ergonomics. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2(4), 2013, 1024-1026.
. Saleem M, Priya S, Govindarajan R, Balaji E, DiwaharAnguraj J, ShylendraBabu PG, Dhivyapriya S. A cross sectional study on work related musculoskeletal disorders among software professionals. Int J Community Med Public Health 2, 2015, 367-72.
. Soroush M, Hassani H. Musculoskeletal complaints associated with computer use and its ergonomic risks for office workers of a medical sciences university in Tehran. Ann Mil Health Sci Res. 13(1), 2015, 2-6.
. Talwar R., Kapoor R., Puri K., Bansal K., and Singh S, ―A Study of Visual and Musculoskeletal Health Disorders among Computer Professionals in NCR Delhi‖, Indian J Community Med, 34, 2019, 326 – 328.
. Wahlstrom J, ―Ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders and computer work‖, Occupational Medicine, 55, 2005, 168–176.
. Vergara, M., Page, A.. Relationship between comfort and back posture and mobility in sitting-posture. Applied Ergonomics 33, 2002, 1–8.
. Logaraj M, Priya VM, Seetharaman N, Hedge SK. Practice of Ergonomic Principles and computer vision syndrome (CVS) among undergraduates’ students in Chennai. Natl J Community Med. 3(2), 2013, 111-6.
. Galinsky TL, Swanson NG, Sauter SL, Hurrell JJ, Schleifer LM. A field study of supplementary rest breaks for data-entry operators. Ergonomics. 43(5), 2000, 622-38.
. Shbair FS, Abdulla FA. Risk Factors of Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Professional Computer Users in Amman, Jordan. Journal of Al Azhar University. 12, 2010, 36-44.