Review of Literature: Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs) Among Industrial Workers

1. Joshi TK, Menon KK & Kishore J (2001)

• 59.4% of workers reported musculoskeletal disorders.
• Cervical pain was most frequent among tailors and packing workers; lumbar pain was more common among workers using hand/power tools, buffing workers, and press operators.
• Contract workers had lower musculoskeletal morbidity than regular/temporary workers.
• Skilled workers had lower morbidity.
• Workers with higher job satisfaction reported fewer MSDs.
• The authors concluded that ergonomic interventions are needed, and that back pain should be a notifiable disease in India given existing load-handling limits expose workers to unacceptable back stress.

2. Rodríguez-Pulido AG, Arrieta-Córdova AF & Arce-Huamani MA (2025)

• 85% of workers had high workload (both physical and mental).
• 88% had severe MSDs, primarily affecting wrist/hand, neck, shoulder, lumbar region, and elbow/forearm.
• Strong positive correlation between overall workload and MSDs (Spearman's rho = 0.896, p < 0.001).
• Physical workload rho = 0.834; mental workload rho = 0.896.
• Concluded that both ergonomic and psychosocial risk factors must be addressed in occupational health strategies.

3. Aremu AB (2022/2023)

• 77.1% of workers reported work-related MSDs.
• The most commonly affected body parts were the shoulders (64.5%), neck (61.8%), upper back (60.2%), lower back (54.0%), and hands (51.2%).
• Hip involvement was comparatively lower (16.4%).
• Ergonomic risk factors including awkward postures, repetitive motions, and heavy manual handling were identified as principal contributors.
• The study emphasized the need for ergonomic-based interventions tailored to the sugar manufacturing environment.

4. Mishra SukhDev, Avinash G, Kundu MG, Verma J, Sheth A & Dutta A (2024)

• Pooled 12-month WMSD prevalence: 0.76 (95% CI: 0.70-0.82).
• Pooled prevalence for low back pain: 0.60 (95% CI: 0.54-0.66).
• Neck pain: 0.40 (95% CI: 0.34-0.47).
• Shoulder pain: 0.36 (95% CI: 0.30-0.42).
• Highest burden found in agriculture, healthcare, and mining.
• Publication bias was low; substantial variability existed between industries.
• Concluded that sector-specific ergonomic interventions and policy measures are urgently needed.

5. Elyasi Gomari A, Fouladi Dehaghi B, Ghanbari S & Mohammadi A (2023)

• Back pain had the highest prevalence (mean score 52.39 ± 25.44); knee pain ranked second (46.46 ± 26.45).
• Positive and significant correlations were found between workload, fatigue, sleep quality, body posture, and MSDs (p < 0.05).
• The RMSEA index was < 0.1, confirming good model fit.
• Workload, fatigue, sleep quality, and posture each had both direct and indirect causal roles in MSD development.
• Concluded that improving workplace ergonomics, reducing workload/fatigue, and improving sleep quality can significantly reduce MSDs among steel workers.

6. Asadi N & Sadeghi-Yarandi M (2025)

• 72.58% of workers reported MSDs in at least one body part over the past 12 months.
• Mean values of occupational stress, mental workload, poor sleep quality, and cognitive failure were all significantly higher in workers with WRMSDs compared to those without (p < 0.05).
• Significant differences were found in all physical environmental factors (noise, lighting) between the two groups, except thermal stress.
• Concluded that a holistic approach addressing both external environmental conditions and internal cognitive factors is needed to prevent WRMSDs in automobile manufacturing.

7. Chowdhury MOSA, Huda N, Alam MM, Hossain SI, Hossain S, Islam S & Khatun MR (2023)

• LBP prevalence: 62% (238/384 workers).
• LBP was significantly associated with increasing age (OR = 1.05), being a permanent employee (OR = 3.15), and working more than 8 hours/day (OR = 1.99).
• Incorrect body mechanics, repetitive bending/twisting, and prolonged sitting were significant risk factors.
• Concluded that ergonomic training, posture correction, and regulatory oversight of working hours are needed to reduce LBP in Bangladeshi industry.

8. Mahendran S & Tiwari RR (2024)

• 32% of large-scale unit workers and 43.9% of small-scale unit workers reported musculoskeletal symptoms.
• MSDs were significantly associated with increasing age, smoking, alcohol consumption, job duration, shift work, and moonlighting.
• Only 8.7% of workers maintained acceptable postures (from a prior related study in Tirupur).
• Small-unit workers were more susceptible, likely due to inadequate occupational health provisions.
• Concluded that small garment units urgently need targeted WMSD prevention programs and QoL improvement strategies.

9. Mishra SukhDev, Avinash G, Kundu MG, Verma J, Sheth A & Dutta A (2024) (Oxford Academic version)

10. Yang F, Di N, Guo WW, Ding WB, Jia N, Zhang H et al. (2023)

• 12-month WMSD prevalence: 40.6%.
• Most commonly affected sites: neck (26.8%), shoulder (22.8%), upper back (14.9%), lower back (14.8%).
• Female sex, job tenure > 5 years, and work-related factors (awkward posture, lifting/carrying weights, excessive repetition, prolonged sitting, monotonous work, cold/temperature variation exposure) significantly increased WMSD risk.
• Vibration was specifically associated with upper back, wrist/hand, and elbow pain.
• Regular physical exercise was a protective factor for most body parts (except upper back, leg, and knee).
• Concluded that ergonomic hazard training, reduction of prolonged sitting, and increased physical activity are needed as preventive measures in electronics manufacturing.

Summary Table

Review of Literature

• Location: L-149, MIDC, Ahmednagar (Ahilyanagar), Maharashtra - 414111
• Type: Small-scale manufacturing enterprise
• GST Number: 27AGBPK9583D1Z8

• Four-wheeler automobile spare parts - gears, brakes, clutches
• Bearings, gears, gearing and driving elements
• Copper precision machined components
• Electrical copper busbars and copper links
• Aluminium gravity die cast components
• Integrated precision machining and assembly services

• LinkedIn profile
• IndiaMart profile
• TradeIndia profile

• Proprietor/Owner: Rajendra Kataria (mentioned as the contact person/proprietor on WorldOrgs)
• Manager: Mr. Rahul Bhandari (listed on TradeIndia as the manager)
• The company email rkk@rsengrs.com also aligns with the initials R.K.K., likely referring to the owner Rajendra Kataria

• Established: 1997
• Address: Plot No. L-149, MIDC, Nagapur, Near Renuka Mata Mandir, Ahilyanagar - 414111
• Phone: +91-241-2778359
• Email: rkk@rsengrs.com

I can help you with:

• Suggesting a well-framed research title

• Objectives, hypothesis, inclusion/exclusion criteria
• Sample size, study design, study setting

• You already have a strong ROL ready (the 10 studies we just compiled!)

• Which tools/outcome measures to use (Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, REBA/RULA, VAS, etc.)
• Data collection procedure

• Questionnaire preparation (Nordic MSQ, demographic form)

• Descriptive statistics, prevalence calculation, chi-square, etc.

• Once you have your data

Quick Suggestion for Your Study Design:

Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Workers employed at R S Engineers, MIDC, Ahilyanagar
2. Age group: 18 to 60 years (active working age)
3. Both male and female workers
4. Workers with a minimum job tenure of at least 6 months (to ensure sufficient occupational exposure)
5. Workers involved in direct production/floor work - machining, assembly, fabrication, quality checking, etc.
6. Workers who are willing to participate and give written informed consent
7. Workers who can read and understand the questionnaire (in English, Hindi, or Marathi)

Exclusion Criteria

1. Workers with a prior history of trauma, fracture, or surgery to any musculoskeletal region (as it may confuse the MSD findings)
2. Workers with known diagnosed systemic conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system - rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, gout, etc.
3. Workers who are currently on leave or absent during the data collection period
4. Workers in purely administrative/office roles (as they are not exposed to industrial ergonomic hazards)
5. Workers who are pregnant (altered biomechanics may confound MSD assessment)
6. Workers who do not give consent to participate
7. Workers with neurological conditions that may mimic or cause musculoskeletal symptoms (e.g., Parkinson's disease, stroke sequelae)
8. Workers who have been employed for less than 6 months (insufficient occupational exposure)

Data Collection Sheet

SECTION A - Demographic Information

SECTION B - Occupational Information

SECTION C - Lifestyle & Personal Habits

SECTION D - Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ)

SECTION E - Pain Assessment (Optional but adds value)

SECTION F - Postural Assessment (Optional - adds strong academic value)

• REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) - for whole body posture
• RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) - for upper limb dominant tasks

SECTION G - Consent

• Written informed consent obtained: Yes / No
• Date of data collection: ___________
• Signature of participant: ___________
• Signature of investigator: ___________

Summary Checklist for Your Data Sheet

1. Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ)

About the Tool

• Developed by: Kuorinka et al., 1987
• Purpose: To detect and analyze musculoskeletal symptoms in an occupational setting
• Type: Self-reported / interviewer-administered questionnaire
• Validated in: Multiple languages including Hindi and Marathi
• Time frame: Asks about symptoms in the last 12 months and last 7 days

Body Regions Covered (9 regions)

1. Neck
2. Shoulders
3. Upper Back
4. Elbows
5. Wrists / Hands
6. Lower Back
7. Hips / Thighs
8. Knees
9. Ankles / Feet

Questions Asked for Each Region

Scoring

• There is no composite score - results are reported as prevalence percentages per body region
• Example: "68% of workers reported low back pain in the last 12 months"
• You can report point prevalence (last 7 days) and period prevalence (last 12 months)

What You Will Report

• Most commonly affected body region
• Prevalence of MSDs overall
• Prevalence region-wise
• Association with demographic/occupational variables

2. SF-12 (Short Form - 12 Health Survey)

About the Tool

• Developed by: Ware et al., 1996 (derived from the SF-36)
• Purpose: To measure Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL)
• Type: Self-reported questionnaire
• No. of items: 12 questions
• Time to administer: 2-3 minutes only

Two Summary Scores Produced

The 12 Questions Cover 8 Domains

Scoring

• Scores are norm-based, with a mean of 50 and SD of 10 in the general population
• Score < 50 = below average quality of life
• Score > 50 = above average quality of life
• Calculated using the standard SF-12 scoring algorithm
• You can use the free online SF-12 scoring tool or calculate manually using the standard algorithm

What You Will Report

• Mean PCS-12 and MCS-12 scores of your study population
• Whether workers with MSDs have significantly lower QoL scores
• Correlation between number of body regions affected and QoL score

How These Two Tools Work Together in Your Study

Suggested Objectives Based on Your Tools

• To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among workers at R S Engineers, Ahilyanagar using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire

• To assess the health-related quality of life among workers at R S Engineers using the SF-12 Health Survey
• To identify the most commonly affected body region among the study participants
• To find the association between musculoskeletal disorders and quality of life among industrial workers
• To correlate MSD prevalence with demographic and occupational variables (age, work experience, working hours, job type)

Suggested Hypothesis

Data Collection Sheet - Updated for Your Tools