Musculoskeletal disorders in hotel restaurant workers

BACKGROUND: A variety of occupational groups have been shown to experience elevated risks of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD). Little information on WMSD is available in hotel restaurant workers. OBJECTIVE: To document the profile of WMSD in a sample of hotel restaurant workers in Taiwan. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather information regarding body site specific WMSD, pain intensity and strategies for pain relief amongst a sample of hotel restaurant workers. RESULTS: Among 905 restaurant workers, 785 (84%) reported experience of WMSD in the previous month, with the highest prevalence rate found for the shoulder (58%). The highest mean score for perceived pain intensity was found for the lower back/waist (2.50 points). Despite a high prevalence rate, only a small portion of those reporting WMSD (12%) considered their work capacity or activities of daily living to be affected by WMSD, and only <5% of workers with WMSD sought medical treatment. CONCLUSION: WMSD related pain is common among hotel restaurant workers in Taiwan, but it does not appear to interfere with job performance or daily living. Self-treatment and alternative therapies that have not been evaluated for effectiveness are commonly employed by hotel restaurant workers.