Musculoskeletal pain in medical laboratory personnel: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

To estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among the laboratory workforce in the United States. An electronic survey was used to gather data from laboratory workers between October 2021 and February 2022. The instrument included the Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, as well as personal and work-related questions. A summary of descriptive statistics and a multivariable analysis using self-reported musculoskeletal pain in the past 7 days were performed. Of 518 medical laboratory professionals in the study, 94% reported musculoskeletal pain in at least 1 body site in the past 12 months, with many experiencing pain in the past 7 days. The sites where musculoskeletal pain was most often reported in the past week included lower back (39%), neck (38%), and shoulders (34%). Sex, race and ethnicity, time in the profession, job title, and organization type were associated with recent musculoskeletal pain. A high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was documented among medical laboratory personnel. Characterizing musculoskeletal pain in this population can help researchers understand the physiologic impacts of long-term exposure to laboratory work, as well as implement and evaluate prevention and risk reduction measures.