A systematic review of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among handicraft workers

Purpose. Handicraft manufacturing appears to be an occupation where work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major threat to workers. For the multifactorial nature and varying prevalence of WMSDs between different body areas, the current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of WMSDs and associated risk factors among handicraft workers. Methods. This review was based on literature collected from three electronic databases, and the retrieved articles were screened following the inclusion/exclusion criteria. After applying the literature selection criteria to 182 articles, 30 citations were selected and examined in detail. Results. The findings suggest that the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among handicraft workers is 38.5-100%, and the most affected body areas were the neck, back, knees and upper limbs. Risk factors including working posture, daily working hours, repetitive and forceful movements, work experience, age, gender and working under stressful conditions were found to be highly associated with the occurrence of WMSDs. However, higher educational qualification of the workers led to a reduction in the odds of developing WMSDs. Conclusion. Handicraft workers are at high risk of developing WMSDs. Further research, preferably longitudinal studies, with more emphasis on work-related factors should now be undertaken to thoroughly investigate WMSDs in this occupational group.