Effects of Awkward Posture on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) among Sawmill Workers in India

Background: The sawmill or lumber mill industry is mainly known as important small-scale industries in India, where thousands of sawmillers suffered from musculoskeletal pain and other health-related problems. The primary aim of the current study is to find out the subjective assessment of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and occupational related health disorders among sawmill workers in India. Materials and Methods: The current descriptive study was direct on 135 sawmillers and 130 control subjects from different region of the Hooghly district, in India. To this end, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was administered to estimate the subjective discomfort feeling and Handgrip Strength were also measured to estimate the power of the hand muscle among the sawmillers and compare with control groups. Posture adopted frequently during working of the sawmillers were also analyzed by the Ovako Working Analysis System (OWAS). Results: The data indicated that the sawmill workers complained of discomfort (pain) felt maximum in low back part of the body (91%) followed by hands (80%), shoulders (76%), knees (64%), and the upper back (58%). This study indicated that the sawmillers had less handgrip strength than the control subjects due to performing more hand intensive jobs. Conclusions: The results of current study indicate that the sawmill workers suffered from MSD due to working in a stooped, squatting posture for a long duration, which adversely affected their health.