The prevalence and work-related physical factors associated with knee pain in older Thai farmers

Musculoskeletal Disorders among Agricultural Workers of Various Cultivation Activities in Upper Northeastern Thailand

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most significant work-related health conditions that are experienced by agricultural workers. This cross-sectional study has investigated MSDs among agriculturalists in upper northeastern Thailand. We assessed the types of MSDs, their severity, and their frequency. There were 889 cultivating agriculturalists from four provinces who participated in this study. The majority of the participants reported experiencing mild levels of MSDs (60.48%). Predominantly, the farmers who were working on cassava, vegetable, and sugarcane plantations reported experiencing the most severe MSDs in the knees/calves (22.40%). The rice plantation workers reported the largest number of MSDs complaints. The workers on rubber plantations and in sugarcane fields were more likely to feel knee/calf pain (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.05–2.39) and lower limb pain (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.35–2.89) than those who were working on rice and tobacco plantations. The individuals who were working on cassava, fruit, vegetable, and corn plantations were also more likely to report knee/calf pain (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.01–2.17) and lower limb pain (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.37–2.84) than those who were working on rice and tobacco plantations. The MSDs that were found among those working on agricultural activities affected many parts of their bodies. The ergonomic risk needs to be assessed in order to inform plantation workers of the implications in order to improve their health and well-being and to reduce the risks of MSDs.

Recent Injury, Severe Radiographic Change, and Lower Quadriceps Strength Increase Risk of Knee Pain Exacerbation During Walking: A Within-Person Knee-Matched Study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the associations of knee injury, radiographic osteoarthritis severity, and quadriceps strength with knee pain exacerbation during walking.

DESIGN

Within-person knee-matched case-control study.

METHODS

Participants from the Osteoarthritis Initiative who completed a 20-m walking test at the 24-month visit were included. Pain exacerbation was defined as an increase in pain intensity of 1 or more on a numeric rating scale (0 as no pain and 10 as the worst imaginable pain) while completing the 20-m walking test. We used conditional logistic regression to assess the relation of recent knee injury, Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade, and quadriceps strength to unilateral knee pain exacerbation during walking.

RESULTS

We included 277 people who experienced unilateral knee pain exacerbation during the walking test. Recent knee injury was associated with pain exacerbation during walking, with an odds ratio of 3.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3, 9.2). Compared with knees with a KL grade of 0, the odds ratios of pain exacerbation during walking were 1.3 (95% CI: 0.7, 2.7), 3.3 (95% CI: 1.5, 7.1), and 8.1 (95% CI: 3.1, 21.1) for knees with KL grades of 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Painful knees with a deficit in quadriceps strength of greater than or equal to 4% had a 1.4-fold (95% CI: 1.0, 1.9) higher risk of pain exacerbation during walking than their pain-free counterparts.

CONCLUSION

Recent knee injury, more severe radiographic osteoarthritis, and lower quadriceps strength were associated with an increased risk of knee pain exacerbation during walking. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2021;51(6):298-304. Epub 10 May 2021. doi:10.2519/jospt.2021.9735.