Neck and upper limb disorders among slaughterhouse workers. An epidemiologic and clinical study

The aim of the study was twofold, (i) to detect neck and upper limb disorders in slaughterhouse workers and (ii) to develop methods for the epidemiologic screening of these disorders. A total of 117 slaughterhouse workers underwent a physical examination of the neck and upper extremities and were interviewed for their subjective symptoms. In addition to a prestructured screening diagnosis, a clinical diagnosis was made. The prevalence of tension neck syndrome was 6.2%, and that of tenosynovitis and peritendinitis of the wrist and forearm 4.4%. The screening diagnoses were not always the same as the clinical diagnoses obtained in more-detailed examinations. However, the nine disorders in the screening method fairly well represented the disorders detected in the clinical examination.