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Women performing repetitive work: Is there a difference in the prevalence of shoulder pain and pathology in supermarket cashiers compared to the general female population?

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

Abstract

Objectives

Shoulder disorders in the occupational environment have been widely studied, but the quality of research and methodology applied vary. Little has been done to ascertain whether shoulder pain in female repetitive workers is due to any verifiable pathology, or to compare findings with the general population. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the prevalence of self-reported shoulder pain in a group of female supermarket cashiers and in the general female population using a standardized questionnaire. Shoulder pain prevalence was then compared to imaging findings in order to assess specific and non-specific pain prevalence.

Material and Methods

196 cashiers and 302 controls filled in a standardized shoulder questionnaire and underwent an imaging examination of a shoulder.

Results

The prevalence of shoulder pain was significantly higher in the group of cashiers (46.4%) than in the general population (25.5%) (OR = 1.821; 95% CI: 1.426–2.325). Specific pain prevalence was higher among the controls (19.5%) than among the cashiers (13.2%).

Conclusions

The more frequent reports of shoulder pain in the supermarket cashiers are not correlated with a higher prevalence of imaging abnormalities. The causes of these more frequent complaints should be probably sought in the psycho-social and occupational environment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Department, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Valerio Sansone

  2. Orthopaedic Department, Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institite IRCCS, Milan, Italy

    Valerio Sansone & Cristina Bonora

  3. Occupational medicine — private practice, Milan, Italy

    Paola Boria

  4. Department of Surgery and Interdisciplinary Medicine, Program in Physical Therapy, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy

    Roberto Meroni

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  1. Valerio Sansone
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  2. Cristina Bonora
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  3. Paola Boria
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  4. Roberto Meroni
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Correspondence to Valerio Sansone.

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Sansone, V., Bonora, C., Boria, P. et al. Women performing repetitive work: Is there a difference in the prevalence of shoulder pain and pathology in supermarket cashiers compared to the general female population?. IJOMEH 27, 722–735 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2478/s13382-014-0292-6

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