A Literature Review on Effects of Ergonomic Hazards on the Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Office Workers

Submitted as part of an MSc dissertation award

Abstract

Background and Aims: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders have a significant negative impact on the overall health and well-being of office workers. This systematic review aimed to assess the effects of inappropriate postures or ergonomic hazards on WRMSDs in office workers.   Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to conduct and report the systematic review's findings. The literature search across three databases, namely CINAHL Ultimate, AMED, and MEDLINE, was performed to include studies published between 2000 and 2023.
Results: The review included 7 studies investigating the effects of ergonomic hazards or poor postures on WRMSDs in office workers. Four studies were categorised as high quality (> 85% criteria met), while three studies were rated as moderate or acceptable quality (< 85% criteria met). All of the selected studies reported a statistically significant relationship between poor postures and WRMSDs in the sample population of office workers.
Discussion: There was some consistency in the results of the selected studies, suggesting that poor postures can lead to musculoskeletal pain in the upper and lower back, neck, and upper extremities in office workers working on computers. The current research is, however, limited and does not explore the effects of poor postures on functional limitations, i.e., range of motion.