Rheumatic complaints and musculoskeletal disorders in workers of a meat processing industry

The effects of unsatisfactory microclimatic conditions and forced body position on the occurrence of fatigue and pain at work and disorders of the musculoskeletal system were evaluated in 90 female workers employed in the meat processing industry. The control group consisted of 95 workers whose work did not involve repetitive operation patterns and took place in a satisfactory microclimate. The mean age of both groups was 35 years. The data on symptoms were collected through a questionnaire. Further medical and functional examination of the locomotor system was carried out in both groups. Compared to the control, a significantly higher percentage of the exposed workers complained of fatigue and pain during work and manifested marked disorders. Most of degenerative rheumatic diseases of the spine were diagnosed in both groups. Other disorders found in the exposed workers in higher prevalence than in the control were: extraarticular rheumatic diseases as fibromyalgia, humeroscapular periarthritis, and epicondylitis. This paper proposes primary and secondary prevention of rheumatic diseases for workers in the meat processing industry.