Effect Of Working Years In Cold Environment On Musculoskeletal System And Carpal Tunnel Symptoms

Abstract

Soğuk ortamda çalışma yıllarının kas iskelet sistemi ve karpal tünel sendromu semptomları üzerine etkisiYasin Devran ALTUNTAŞ, Tamer ÇANKAYA

Cold exposure and musculoskeletal conditions; A scoping review

“…A total of 17 studies were identified as eligible for inclusion ( Table 1 ). One of the studies provided data that contained what appears to be a logical flaw, there were more participants not working due to musculoskeletal pain than participants having musculoskeletal pain ( Altuntas and Cankaya, 2020 ). We therefore chose to not calculate and present any effect estimates from this study.…”

“…Six of the studies recruited from the general population ( Pope et al, 1997 ; Raatikka et al, 2007 ; Bodin et al, 2012 ; Farbu et al, 2019 ; Farbu et al, 2021a ; Stjernbrandt and Farbu, 2022 ), one study recruited cases and controls from a clinic ( Yagev et al, 2007 ), and the remaining 10 studies comprised of specific working populations, such as construction workers ( Burstrom et al, 2013 ), miners ( Skandfer et al, 2014 ), food processing workers ( Piedrahí;ta et al, 2004 ; Sormunen et al, 2009 ; Altuntas and Cankaya, 2020 ), store workers ( Chiang et al, 1990 ; Dovrat and Katz-Leurer, 2007 ; Ghani et al, 2020 ), army recruits ( Milgrom et al, 2003 ) or factory workers ( Pinar et al, 2013 ). The number of participants ranged from 162 to 118 258 ( Tables 2 , 3 ).…”

“…Seven studies used temperature as a measure of cold exposure. The measures were heterogenous, ranging from categories based on contact with frozen items ( Chiang et al, 1990 ), to categories based on seasons ( Milgrom et al, 2003 ), ambient air temperature measured at the workplace ( Piedrahí;ta et al, 2004 ; Dovrat and Katz-Leurer, 2007 ; Ghani et al, 2020 ), self-reported number of years worked in an environment below 9°C ( Altuntas and Cankaya, 2020 ), or different regions by latitude, implying different mean temperatures between the regions ( Burstrom et al, 2013 ). Regarding level of exposure, one of the ten studies using self-reported exposure used weekly average time of cold exposure ( Raatikka et al, 2007 ), while many self-reported cold exposures were specified with a certain minimum time of cold exposure per day, or week.…”

“…A total of 14 studies used self-reported musculoskeletal pain, either pain in general or at different sites. Six studies used questions from the Nordic Questionnaire to assess the 12-months prevalence of pain, either at multiple sites ( Piedrahí;ta et al, 2004 ; Altuntas and Cankaya, 2020 ; Ghani et al, 2020 ), or at specific sites such as low back ( Dovrat and Katz-Leurer, 2007 ; Skandfer et al, 2014 ) or shoulder ( Bodin et al, 2012 ). In some of the studies participants were asked about pain that reduced work ability ( Burstrom et al, 2013 ; Altuntas and Cankaya, 2020 ) or caused a disadvantage in daily activities ( Sormunen et al, 2009 ).…”

“…Six studies used questions from the Nordic Questionnaire to assess the 12-months prevalence of pain, either at multiple sites ( Piedrahí;ta et al, 2004 ; Altuntas and Cankaya, 2020 ; Ghani et al, 2020 ), or at specific sites such as low back ( Dovrat and Katz-Leurer, 2007 ; Skandfer et al, 2014 ) or shoulder ( Bodin et al, 2012 ). In some of the studies participants were asked about pain that reduced work ability ( Burstrom et al, 2013 ; Altuntas and Cankaya, 2020 ) or caused a disadvantage in daily activities ( Sormunen et al, 2009 ). In one study participants were asked about shoulder pain lasting more than 24 h during the last month ( Pope et al, 1997 ), and two studies specified that the pain should have lasted 3 months or more ( Farbu et al, 2019 ; Farbu et al, 2021a ), thereby more specifically assessing chronic pain.…”