Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Waiters in Islamabad and Rawalpindi
Musculoskeletal Disorders in Waiters
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v4i3.1556Keywords:
Musculoskeletal disorders, waiters, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, ergonomic interventions, prevalence of pain, hospitality sector, occupational health.Abstract
Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common in occupations that involve prolonged standing, repetitive movements, and physical strain, such as waiters. These disorders can significantly affect work performance and quality of life.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among male waiters and identify the most commonly affected body regions.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 male waiters in restaurants, cafes, and fast-food outlets in Islamabad and Rawalpindi from March to September 2024. Participants aged 18-35 years with at least two years of work experience were included. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to assess MSDs. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, and p-values were calculated to determine statistical significance.
Results: The prevalence of MSDs was 48.4% among participants. The most affected regions in the last 7 days were the neck (66.8%), lower back (59.6%), and ankle/foot (59.6%). A significant difference was found in the prevalence of neck (p=0.042) and lower back pain (p=0.048) compared to the last 12 months.
Conclusion: Musculoskeletal disorders were prevalent among waiters, with neck and lower back pain being the most common. Ergonomic interventions are recommended to reduce strain.
Downloads
References
Hasan F, Mudey A, Joshi A. Role of Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Musculoskeletal Pain: A Scoping Review. Cureus. 2023;15(4).
Yalew ES, Adem KS, Kibret AK, Gashaw M. Low Back Pain and Its Determinants Among Wait Staff in Gondar Town, North West Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Front Pain Res. 2022;3:964297.
Miaary Z, Kalichman L, Ezra D, Moshe S, Alperovitch-Najenson D. Physical and Psychosocial Work Demands Associated with Pain and Disability Among Skilled Male Arab Waiters. Work. 2023.
Zamorano García M, Santamaría G, Seco-Casares M, Celorrio San Miguel AM, Lantarón-Caeiro E, García JF, et al. A Cross-Sectional Observational Pilot Study of the Main Risk Factors Related to Lower Back Pain in Spanish Hospitality Workers. Safety. 2024;10(1):12.
Haffejee F, Wolff A. Low Back Pain in Restaurant Waitron Staff Within the eThekwini Municipality, South Africa. Occup Health South Africa. 2020;26(6):293-6.
Yazuli ZA, Karuppiah K, Kumar E, Md Tamrin SB, Sambasivam S. Discomfort, Fatigue, and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Associated with Prolonged Standing Among Malaysian Manufacturing Workers: A Mini Review. Songklanakarin J Sci Technol. 2019;41(2).
Korhan O, Memon AA. Introductory Chapter: Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders. Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: IntechOpen; 2019.
Adeyemi T, Oseni AI, Abudu FR, Oyewole OO, Ogunlana MO. Pattern and Prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Its Association with Quality of Sleep Among Food Vendors in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. J Biomed Invest. 2023;11(3):132-45.
Giorgianni C, Principato F, Spatari G. Upper Limb Disorders in Catering Workers. Dis. 2023;11(1):12.
Azevedo J, Costa S, Moreira-Silva I, Rodrigues S, Ventura N, Cardoso R, et al. Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Symptoms Among Workers of a Portuguese Textile Industry: Association with Body Mass Index and Work Position. Occup Environ Safety Health II. 2020:453-60.
Wolff AM. The Epidemiology of Work-Related Back Pain in Full-Time Restaurant Waitron Staff Within the eThekwini Municipality. 2020.
Peng CY, Hsieh HM, Li MY, Liaw LJ, Wang CL, Pan CH, et al. Gender Differences and Site-Specific Incident Risks of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among 224,506 Workers in the Food and Beverage Service Industry in Taiwan: A 15-Year Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study. J Occup Health. 2021;63(1).
Tegenu H, Gebrehiwot M. Self-Reported Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Associated Factors Among Restaurant Workers in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020. J Environ Public Health. 2021.
Abdul Aziz F, Rohizad MAA. Evaluation of the Relationship Between Body Discomfort and Personal Background Among Restaurant Cooks. Human Factors Ergonomics Malaysia Biennial Conf. 2023.
Ahmad MA, Shafie FA, Masngut MI, Mokhtar MAM, Abdullah AM. Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Workers in Food Manufacturing Factories in Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. Malaysian J Med Health Sci. 2021;17.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Hafiza Azbah Haider, Laiba Hashmi, Habiba Habib, Hina Yaqoob, Ayesha Shaukat, Fatima Altaf, Saman Majeed, Intsam Aslam
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
