Musculoskeletal Disorders’ Classification Proposal for Application in Occupational Medicine

Abstract

Occupational-specific classifications of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are scarce and do not answer specific clinical questions. Thus, a specific classification was developed and proposed, covering criteria applicable to daily clinical activity. It was considered that the disorder development process is the same across all work-related MSDs (WRMSDs). Concepts of clinical pathology were applied to the characteristics of WRMSDs pathophysiology, cellular and tissue alterations. Then, the correlation of the inflammatory mechanisms with the injury onset mode was graded into four levels (MSDs 0–3). Criteria of legal, occupational and internal medicine, semiology, physiology and orthopaedics, image medicine and diagnostics were applied. Next, the classification was analysed by experts, two occupational physicians, two physiatrists and occupational physicians and one orthopaedist. This approach will allow WRMSD prevention and improve therapeutic management, preventing injuries from becoming chronic and facilitating communication between occupational health physicians and the other specialities. The four levels tool relate aetiopathogenic, clinical, occupational and radiological concepts into a single classification. This allows for improving the ability to determine a WRMSD and understanding what preventive and therapeutic measures should be taken, avoiding chronicity. The developed tool is straightforward, easy to understand and suitable for WRMSDs, facilitating communication between occupational physicians and physicians from other specialities.

Prevalence and factors associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among porters in selected taxi parks of Kigali city, Rwanda. A retrospective study

“…Therefore, this research challenges the general consensus that biomechanical factors are the predominant causative factor. This is contrary to the clinical position taken by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) who prescribe to: physical activity, manual therapy, invasive procedures and surgery whilst Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon Philip Sell goes further to state that back pain prevalence, general fatigue, discomfort/pain, injury, skills and knowledge, body characteristics, socio-economic status and environment (14) (11) (22).…”

International Symposium on Occupational Safety and Hygiene: Proceedings Book of the SHO2022

“…PFPS is a multifactorial syndrome and can develop in different situations [23,24]. The main factors related to PFPS are the inflammations that occur in the joints, tendons and muscles due to overuse, with the continuity of activity without adequate recovery time [3,7,25], performing strength movements with the knee flexed [26][27][28], such as going stairs up and down and squatting. The knee flexion in which the knees advance the ipsilateral toe line is also a significant cause of this syndrome [23,24,[26][27][28][29] Although the risk factors for the aggravation of the syndrome are clear, the selected works do not describe the genesis of the syndrome.…”

“…According to Smith (2018), the prevalence of PFPS in the general population is 22.7% and can be classified as Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) class two or three (MSD-2 or MSD-3) when in an occupational context [7].…”

Prevention of Knee Joint Wear in Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome when using Stairs: A Case Report

“…After the anamnesis and the physical examination, the central diagnostic hypothesis was patellofemoral pain syndrome, classified as MSD-2 (Pereira et al, 2021).…”