Work related musculoskeletal disorders and postural stress of the women cultivators engaged in uprooting job of rice cultivation

Conclusions: MSD was highly prevalent among the study participants. Lower back, hip, wrist, shoulder, and knee were highly affected. Higher prevalence of MSDs among the cultivators may be because of prolonged working hours and awkward postures. The women cultivators had to start their day before dawn to finish off their household chores such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes and dishes, etc., before they moved off to the fields, which altogether impose them under additional stress. It may be suggested that ergonomic interventions such as modifying work-rest schedules, improving work postures, and introducing new design hand tools should be considered for improving work condition of the women cultivators.
Source: Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - Category: Occupational Health Authors: Source Type: research