Prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Cobblers in Faisalabad

Prevalence of WMSDs Among Cobblers

Authors

  • Qudsia Riaz The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Abeer Fatima The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Aleena Arshad The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Iqra Tahir The University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Imran Ullah Khan PhD Scholar, Al Hamad Islamic University, Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, GCUF, Faisalabad, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v4i3.1578

Keywords:

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Cobblers, Occupational Health, Footwear Industry, Ergonomics, Prevalence, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Neck Pain, Shoulder Pain

Abstract

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a significant occupational health issue affecting various industries, including footwear manufacturing. Cobblers, due to the nature of their work, are particularly vulnerable to WMSDs due to repetitive tasks and prolonged static postures.
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of WMSDs among cobblers in shoe manufacturing firms in Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over four months, involving 260 cobblers selected through purposive sampling. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to assess musculoskeletal symptoms in nine body regions over the past 12 months and 7 days. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with descriptive statistics and chi-square tests for significance (p<0.05).
Results: The most commonly affected region was the neck, with 70 cobblers (26.9%) reporting symptoms in the past year and 40 (15.4%) in the past week. Shoulder pain was reported by 51 (19.6%) annually, and ankle/feet pain by 41 (15.8%). Significant associations were found between WMSDs and various body regions (p<0.05).
Conclusion: WMSDs are highly prevalent among cobblers, particularly in the neck and shoulders. Ergonomic interventions are recommended to reduce musculoskeletal strain.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Afonso L, Pinho M, Arezes P. Risk factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in footwear sewing workers. 2014.

Yu W, Ignatius T, Li Z, Wang X, Sun T, Lin H, et al. Work-related injuries and musculoskeletal disorders among factory workers in a major city of China. Accid Anal Prev. 2012;48:457-63.

Anderson J, Williams AE, Nester C. Musculoskeletal disorders, foot health, and footwear choice in occupations involving prolonged standing. Int J Ind Ergon. 2021;81:103079.

Veisi H, Choobineh A, Ghaem H, Faraji Kujerdi M, Barazandeh R, Barazandeh H. Upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms among Iranian hand-woven shoe workers. Work. 2020;67(1):129-39.

De Almeida LB, Vieira ER, Zaia JE, de Oliveira Santos BM, Lourenço ARV, Quemelo PRV. Musculoskeletal disorders and stress among footwear industry workers. Work. 2017;56(1):67-73.

Dos Santos Leite WK, Da Silva Araújo AJ, Da Silva JMN, Gontijo LA, De Araújo Vieira EM, De Souza EL, et al. Risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders among workers in the footwear industry: A cross-sectional study. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2019.

Franco G, Fusetti L. Bernardino Ramazzini’s early observations of the link between musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic factors. Appl Ergon. 2004;35(1):67-70.

Götz M, O’Boyle EH. Cobblers, let’s stick to our lasts! A song of sorrow (and of hope) about the state of personnel and human resource management science. Res Pers Hum Res Manag. 2023;7-92.

Haartz J, Sweeney M. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders: Prevention and intervention research at NIOSH. Cumul Trauma Disord Workplace. 1995;7.

Hutabarat J, Pradana JA, Ruwana I, Basuki DWL, Sari SA, Septiari R. Ergonomic chair design as a solution to musculoskeletal disorders among traditional cobblers: An anthropometric study. J Eur Systèmes Autom. 2023;56(4):697-701.

Jadhav GS, Arunachalam M, Salve UR. Musculoskeletal problems of hand-sewn crafted footwear manufacturing artisans in Kolhapur, India. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2022;1-10.

Muller D, Paluszek A. How to do better: An exploration of better practices within the footwear industry. Berlin: Change Your Shoes; 2017.

Maupin DO, Palmer R, Canetti EF, Simas V, Schram B. The impact of footwear on occupational task performance and musculoskeletal injury risk: A scoping review to inform tactical footwear. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(17):10703.

Pandey D, Vats A. Prevalence of musculoskeletal problems among cobblers in footwear repairing work. Curr J Appl Sci Technol. 2020;39(48):68-72.

Downloads

Published

2024-09-29

How to Cite

Qudsia Riaz, Abeer Fatima, Aleena Arshad, Iqra Tahir, & Imran Ullah Khan. (2024). Prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Cobblers in Faisalabad: Prevalence of WMSDs Among Cobblers. Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research, 4(3), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v4i3.1578

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2024): Volume 4, Issue 3 - July to September 2024

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Qudsia Riaz, Abeer Fatima, Aleena Arshad, Iqra Tahir, Imran Ullah Khan

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.