Relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and anthropometric indices among bus drivers in Zahedan city.

INTRODUCTION: Most work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are associated with improper postures and poorly designed workstations. This study is an attempt to examine the prevalence and severity of MSDs as well as anthropometric dimensions among city bus drivers. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 60 male bus drivers. A body discomfort chart was used to evaluate MSDs. Spearman correlation was employed to examine the relationship between body size and the severity of discomfort. RESULTS: Data analysis showed that discomfort reported in the lower back (33.3%), upper back (18.3%) and knee (15%) was severe and there was a direct and significant correlation between the body mass index and the severity of discomfort in the shoulder, arm and hip (p < 0.05). However, the results showed that eye sitting height and sitting height had significant inverse relationships with discomfort in the ankle and elbow (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of the study can be used to address ergonomic risk factors and reduce their associated disorders. The findings of the study can be used in training programs to educate drivers how to decrease the risk associated with work-related MSDs by adopting appropriate behavior strategies.

Efficacy and impact of back care education on knowledge and behaviour of elementary schoolchildren.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the usefulness of a back care education programme on the promotion of knowledge and behaviour of fifth-grade elementary schoolchildren in terms of reducing risk factors for low back pain later in life. METHODS: Multi-stage random sampling was used to classify the pupils in one of the intervention or control groups. A validated questionnaire was filled out by each subject before the educational programme, and a week and three months afterwards. RESULTS: Improvement in knowledge and behaviour of pupils was observed a week and three months after the intervention (P<0.001) with no significant difference between the boys and the girls. However, a decreasing trend was observed in knowledge and behaviour pattern form a week to three months after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Considering back care education in the school curriculum is recommended for long-term sustainability of an educational programme.