title: Workstyle risk factors for work related musculoskeletal symptoms among computer professionals in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are common in computer professionals. Workstyle may be one of the risk factors in the development of musculoskeletal discomfort. The objective of this retrospective study was to examine the prevalence of adverse workstyle in computer professionals from India and to evaluate if workstyle factors were predictors of pain and loss of productivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Office workers from various information technology (IT) companies in India responded to the short-form workstyle questionnaire and pain questionnaire. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine the associations between different variables followed by a multivariate logistic regression to understand the unique predictors of pain and loss of productivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  4,500 participants responded to the workstyle and pain questionnaire. 22% of participants were reported to have a high risk of an adverse workstyle. 63% of participants reported pain symptoms. Social reactivity, lack of breaks, and deadlines/pressure subscales of workstyle questionnaire were significantly correlated with pain and loss of productivity. Regression analyses revealed that workstyle factors and duration of computer use per day were significant predictors of pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Workstyle seems to be a mediating factor for musculoskeletal pain, discomfort, and loss of productivity. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that intervention efforts directed towards prevention of musculoskeletal disorders should focus on psychosocial work factors such adverse workstyle in addition to biomechanical risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, RECOUP Neuromusculoskeletal Rehabilitation Centre, 312 Further Extension of Anjanapura Layout, Bangalore, India. deepak.sharan@recoup.in
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharan
authors.forename: Prakriti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parijat
authors.forename: Ajeesh Padinjattethil
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Sasidharan
authors.forename: Rameshkumar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ranganathan
authors.forename: Mathankumar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohandoss
authors.forename: Jeena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jose
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003201:Computers; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012146:Rest; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014937:Work / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult