Work-related repetitive strain injury and leisure-time physical activity.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and work-related repetitive strain injury (RSI), adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and work-related physical and stress factors.


METHODS
The data source was the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey, a national cross-sectional survey of 134,072 respondents. The analysis was limited to a sample of the survey population reporting full-time work during the past 12 months (n = 58,622). The outcome of interest was work-related RSI of the upper body. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between the outcome and leisure-time physical activity level, adjusted for sociodemographic, health, and occupational characteristics. The potential effect of leisure-time physical activity with a high upper-body load was investigated in a secondary analysis.


RESULTS
The prevalence of upper-body work-related RSI was 5.9% in the Canadian population in 2003. An active lifestyle during leisure time was associated with a lower prevalence of work-related upper-body RSI (odds ratio 0.84, 99% confidence interval 0.75-0.95), after adjustment for work physical demands and other covariates. Female sex, obesity, smoking, age, work-related stress, and work physical demands were associated with RSI. In the secondary analysis, we did not find that participating in leisure-time activities with a high upper-body load was a risk factor for RSI.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study results indicate that being physically active during leisure time is associated with a decreased risk of upper-body occupational RSI, adding another potential health benefit to participation in leisure-time physical activity.
Ratzlaff
C R
CR
St. Paul's Hospital Orthopaedic Medicine Clinic, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. cratzlaf@interchange.ubc.ca
Gillies
J H
JH
Koehoorn
M W
MW
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005082:Physical Exertion; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications; D016526:Workload