Exploring musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic challenges among software professionals: A cross sectional study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a global health concern.
• Software professionals face high MSD prevalence due to sedentary work and poor ergonomics.
• Limited research exists on MSD burden in India's IT sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence and risk factors of MSDs among Indian software professionals.
• To identify ergonomic challenges faced by this population.
• To inform workplace interventions for MSD prevention.

Main Methods:

• An analytical cross-sectional study of 200 software professionals in Indian multinational companies.
• Data collected via online questionnaire including sociodemographics, ergonomic practices, and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ).
• Logistic regression used to identify significant predictors of MSDs.

Main Results:

• 72% prevalence of MSDs in the past 12 months; lower back (66.7%) and neck (56.9%) most affected.
• Higher risk associated with overweight individuals (OR=2.84) and prolonged work hours (≥8 hrs/day, OR=3.175).
• Significant ergonomic challenges: inadequate workstations (35% lack dedicated space), limited ergonomic training (55%).

Conclusions:

• A significant burden of MSDs exists among Indian software professionals.
• Workplace interventions focusing on ergonomic training and workstation design are crucial.
• Further research needed to evaluate the effectiveness of MSD mitigation strategies.