Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Research Article

Work-related factors of knee osteoarthritis in Korean farmers: a cross-sectional study: Han Soo Song, Dong Hwi Kim, Gwang Chul Lee, Kweon Young Kim, So Yeon Ryu, Chul Gab Lee; Ann Occup Environ Med 2020;32:e37. Published online November 13, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2020.32.e37

Background

Several studies have reported a high prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee among agricultural workers. We investigated work-related factors that increase the risk of knee OA among Korean farmers.

Methods

Data were extracted from the Jeonnam Center for Farmer's Safety and Health survey, conducted between 2013 and 2015. The sample included 489 farmers (man 240, woman 249). We defined knee OA as radiographic knee OA (≥ Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2) with symptoms (≥ Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis, Korean version score 29.5). We considered covariates such as cumulative squatting working time (CSWT), cumulative heavy lifting working time (CLWT), body mass index (BMI), and history of knee injury. Odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for knee OA and adjusted for relevant covariates.

Results

The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that knee OA was correlated by factors such as sex, age, BMI, history of knee injury, CSWT, and CLWT. Particularly, CSWT > 20,000 hours (OR: 2.83; 95% CI: 1.35–5.92; reference < 10,000 hours) and CLWT > 5,000 hours (OR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.14–6.06; reference < 2,000 hours) were associated with an increased risk of knee OA after adjustment for covariates.

Conclusions

Squatting posture and heavy lifting associated with farm work might increase the risk of knee OA among Korean farmers.

Citations

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Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis Is a Risk Factor for the Development of Dementia: Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcomes in the Aizu Cohort Study
Yuji Endo, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Kazuyuki Watanabe, Koji Otani, Kenichi Otoshi, Hironori Numazaki, Miho Sekiguchi, Mari Sato, Takuya Nikaido, Rei Ono, Shin-ichi Konno, Yoshihiro Matsumoto
Journal of Clinical Medicine.2024; 13(16): 4956. CrossRef
Effect of non-surgical interventions on pain relief and symptom improvement in farmers with diseases of the musculoskeletal system or connective tissue: an exploratory systematic review based on randomized controlled trials
Hiroharu Kamioka, Hiroyasu Okuizumi, Shuichi Handa, Jun Kitayuguchi, Reiko Machida
Journal of Rural Medicine.2022; 17(1): 1. CrossRef
The Influence of Obesity on Pain and Function in Knee Osteoarthritis: Comparison of Body Mass Index With Seven Knee Function Scales and Two Pain Scales
Deniz Gurler
Cureus.2022;[Epub] CrossRef

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Research Article

Factors related to femoral bowing among Korean female farmers: a cross-sectional study: Sangyoon Do, Chul Gab Lee, Dong Hwi Kim, GwangChul Lee, Kweon Young Kim, So Yeon Ryu, Hansoo Song; Ann Occup Environ Med 2020;32:e23. Published online July 2, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2020.32.e23

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Background

Female farmers have a high prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in South Korea. Femoral bowing has been reported to be related to KOA by increasing load on the mechanical axis. This study aimed to investigate factors related to femoral bowing in Korean female farmers.

Methods

We analyzed the legs of 264 female farmers registered with the Korea farmers' knee cohort of Jeonnam Center for Farmers' Safety and Health. A structured questionnaire was used to determine sociodemographic variables, agricultural career, cumulative squatting working time (CSWT), and cumulative heavy lifting working time. Femoral bone density was measured and Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grades were obtained from the knee radiographs. Mechanical axis angle (MAA), femoral bowing angle (FBA), anatomical lateral distal femoral angle (aLDFA), anatomical medial proximal tibial angle (aMPTA), and condylar-plateau angle (CPA) were measured. We examined the relationship between the FBA and related factors by using multiple linear regression.

Results

The proportion of individuals with radiographic KOA (≥ KL grade 2) in this study was 37.9%. As KL grades increased, MAA, FBA, and CPA increased, whereas aLDFA and aMPTA decreased. FBA increased with age. Multiple linear regression analyses using FBA as a dependent variable showed relationship with higher age, lower height, higher BMI, lower bone mineral density, longer CSWT, and longer agricultural careers.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that external factors related to agricultural work in female farmers was associated with femoral bowing, in addition to internal factors such as age, bone density, height, and obesity.

Citations

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Haoyu Xin, Xiaoxiao Li, Yuqing Zhang, Chao Zeng, Guanghua Lei, Tuo Yang, Jie Wei
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Age and sex differences in coronal lower extremity alignment in a healthy Asian population
Doohyun Hwang, Min Wook Choi, Seong-Hwan Kim, Hyuk-Soo Han, Chong Bum Chang, Myung Chul Lee, Na-Kyoung Lee, Du Hyun Ro
The Knee.2023; 45: 198. CrossRef
Do Individualized Patient-Specific Situations Predict the Progression Rate and Fate of Knee Osteoarthritis? Prediction of Knee Osteoarthritis
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Femoral bowing in the Arab population: A cross-sectional study and literature review
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Radiographic hand osteoarthritis in women farmers: characteristics and risk factors
Bohyun Sim, Jaehoo Lee, Chul Gab Lee, Hansoo Song
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Work-related factors of knee osteoarthritis in Korean farmers: a cross-sectional study
Han Soo Song, Dong Hwi Kim, Gwang Chul Lee, Kweon Young Kim, So Yeon Ryu, Chul Gab Lee
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2020;[Epub] CrossRef

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Original Article

Study on the Cervicobrachial Syndrome Among Microwave-oven Assemblers (III) : A Review on Working Posture: Yang Ok Kim, Jong Park, So Yeon Ryu, Chul Gab Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1997;9(2):275-282. Published online June 30, 1997; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1997.9.2.275

Abstract PDF: Working postures in 116 microwave-oven assemblers were measured and analysed using postural load scores of body parts in 137 workers complaining the cervicobrachial syndrome (CBS). The relationship between postural load scores of body parts and the grades of CBS was observed. Results were summarized as follows. 1. The height of work-table and work-seat, the thumb tip reach, the shoulder angle, the elbow angle and the forward bending angle of body trunk exceeded the recommended level and therefore they seemed to impose increased static postural loads on muscles of neck and shoulder as well as static and/or dynamic load on arm and hand muscles. 2. The postural load score of shoulder in grade II was significantly lower than that in grade III-2 and IV and those of elbow, neck+shoulder, elbow+wrist and upper extremity were significantly lower in grade II than in grade Iv. These results suggested that the awkward working postures were associated with the occurrence of CBS as well as the severity of CBS.

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Original Article

A Study on the Cervicobrachial Syndrome among the Microwave-oven Assemblers (II): A Review on the Findings of the Examinations: Jong Park, Yang Ok Kim, So Yeon Ryu, Sang Ho Ha, Byung Gwon Park; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1995;7(2):320-331. Published online October 31, 1995; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1995.7.2.320

Abstract PDF

To find the severity and the type of the cervicobrachial syndrome, through physical examinations and laboratory tests were made toward 137 patients complaining the cervicobrachial syndrome (CBS) through the health interview among 313 workers occupied in a microwave-oven assembling factory from December 1993 to February 1994.
Results
were as follows. 1. The prevalence of spontaneous pain was 94.9%, while 78.1% suffered from muscle tenderness, 63.5% suffered from muscle induration and 62.0% showed kinesalgia. 54.7% of patients showed positive cervical X-ray findings and 28.5% showed positive Morley test. 2. The muscle induration was associated with the total duration of the job among female workers. 3. The severity of neck tenderness was negatively correlated with the strength of the grip at both hands, positively correlated with the duration of overtime in male and the severity of the wrist tenderness was negatively correlated with the height in female. 4. X-ray findings, muscle induration, Morley test results, muscle tenderness on the neck and muscle tenderness on the shoulder were associated with subjective symptoms of the workers.5. The muscle tenderness was associated with the number of the complaints at upper extremities among the sufferings in daily life significantly and the electromyogram (EMG) finding was associated with; the number of the complaints: about neuropsychological system among the sufferings in daily life significantly. In conclusion, the results of the physical examination were related with the subjective symptoms of the cervicobrachial syndrome. The muscle induration, the muscle tenderness, cervical X-ray findings and the Morley test results were more useful for the diagnosis of CBS. More efforts to objectify the subjective symptoms were asked.

Citations

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Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Korea Provoked by Workers’ Collective Compensation Claims against Work Intensification
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Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2014;[Epub] CrossRef
Risk Factors of Work-related Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders in Male Shipyard Workers: Structural Equation Model Analysis
Byung-Chan Park, Hae-Kwan Cheong, Eun-A Kim, Soo Geun Kim
Safety and Health at Work.2010; 1(2): 124. CrossRef

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Original Article

A Study on the Cervicobrachial Syndrome among the Microwave-oven Assemblers (I): A Review on the Symptoms Investigated by the Questionnaire: Yang Ok Kim, Jong Park, So Yeon Ryu; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1995;7(2):306-319. Published online October 31, 1995; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1995.7.2.306

Abstract PDF

To find the characteristics of the subjective symptoms and its related factors among the patients with the cervicobrachial syndrome, an interview survey was made toward 137 patients complaining the symptoms in cervicobrachial area out of 313 workers occupied in a microwave-oven assembling factory from December 1993 to February 1994.
Results
were as follows : 1. The patients were classified by the severity of the syndrome as 6 persons (4.4%) at grade I (the mildest grade), 48 persons (35.0%) at grade II, 47 persons (34.4%) at grade III-1, 11 persons (8.0%) at grade III-2 and 25 persons (18.2%) at grade IV. 2. Only 3.6% of the total patients under the study felt the main symptoms of the cervicobrachial syndrome 36 months before this study, and then the number of patients increased gradually, but the incidence of the syndrome increased suddenly from 25.1% to 74.9% since the factory had elevated the height of the belt conveyer-worktables from 75.0cm to 87.7 cm 13 months before the study. 3. Although the higher percentage of the female workers felt the subjective symptoms including the pain at the neck and shoulder, the discomfort or pain at the back and the discomfort or pain at the wrist or the finger than male workers significantly (p<0.05). The male workers, however, showed more abnormal X-ray findings than the female workers significantly (p<0.05). 4. Between the prevalence of the cervicbbrachial syndrome and the number of actual workers occupied at the factory during last-24 months, a negative correlation (r=-0.508~r=-0.665) was observed. 5. The measured workplace environment of the studied factory (average temperature: 13.3 degrees C, average noise: 78.8 dB, average illumination: 241.4 Lux) was the poorer condition than the recommended level (17degrees C or more, lower than 75 dB and 400 Lux or more). 6. Neither items to check the cervicobrachial syndrome during the entrance and health maintenance examinations nor early treatment program for the syndrome were found, at the factory. In conclusion, the primary cause of the cervicobrachial syndrome of the workers were considered due to their repeated monotonous motions on the neck, the shoulder, the arms and the hands for a long duration (2-3 years) with the uncomfortable working posture under the uncomfortable workplace environments, and the condition got aggravated due to the inappropriated health management program for its secondary prevention.

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