Upper body musculoskeletal pain associated with remote working of academics at the Durban University of Technology during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors:   , Narainsamy Nevinia 
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND The world-wide pandemic COVID-19, which initiated international lockdowns and varied degrees of work considerations, enforced remote working to reduce the spread of infection. Ergonomic support for effective remote working during this rapid transition received little consideration. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) associated with musculoskeletal pain (MSP) are frequently linked to poor ergonomic support at the workplace and compromises the quality of life of those affected. MSP may be aggravated by prolonged, repetitive, and awkward movements, poor posture and ergonomics, or a fast-paced workload. Additionally, the onset of upper body MSP contributes to workrelated MSDs, resulting in decreased work productivity. It is believed that the current shift to remote working may result in an increase in MSP. This study, therefore, aims to determine the prevalence and effects of upper body musculoskeletal pain (head, neck, shoulder and back) associated with the ergonomic changes of remote working during the current COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES 1. To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among those working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. To determine the selected risk factors predisposing to upper body musculoskeletal pain as an ergonomic effect of remote working. 3. To identify the extent to which remote working has impacted the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain with particular reference to ergonomic aspects. 4. To determine the effects of musculoskeletal pain and its impact on work performance/productivity. 5. To provide guidelines/recommendations and future considerations to support the prevention of MSP during remote working. METHOD A quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on all Durban University of Technology (DUT) academic staff members, to obtain relevant data regarding the onset of musculoskeletal pain and ergonomical factors, whilst working remotely during the COVID19 pandemic. Data were collected through the use of an online questionnaire, administered through DUT’s electronic platform. The Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was adapted to focus more on ergonomics and working remotely. Descriptive statistics were used to provide summarised questionnaire data. All data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS version 25 software package. Bivariate analyses, such as the Pearson’s chisquared test, ANOVA, and T-tests, where appropriate, were done. A p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Findings of similar studies, both locally and internationally, provided generalised and more contextualised recommendations related to the ergonomic effects of working remotely. RESULTS In summary, 87.2% of participants reported to having musculoskeletal pain (MSP) prior to COVID-19. However, there was a massive increase in MSP while remote working, with 81.8% of participants reporting MSP during COVID-19. A great number of academic staff members (52.7%) reported to have worked remotely and having suitable equipment (59.1%) to facilitate remote work. With a reported increase in workload (89.1%), there was also an increase in productivity (53.6%). The most severe location of pain while remote working was the back (25.5%). Ergonomic factors that were noteworthy were that 64.5% participants sat without their back supported; shoulders were not relaxed in neutral (68.2%); wrists were not in a neutral position (51.8%) and the neck was not in a neutral position while remote working (63.6%). These factors remained consistent before and during COVID-19, indicating a minute change in the statistical significance of ergonomic factors. The p-value was less than 0.001. Regarding the emotional states of the respondents, it has been revealed that there was an association between the emotional status before and during COVID-19. All corresponding p-values were less than 0.001, indicating a statistically significant relationship. CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented pressures on governments, economies, and families, posing what many observers consider the largest global peacetime challenge since the Great Depression a century ago. In South Africa, the government moved swiftly after the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on 5 March 2020, which subsequently led to a national lockdown by 27 March 2020. This placed huge challenges on the population, especially for the poor and those working from home. The exponential rise in COVID-19 infections rapidly transformed how and if people would return to the traditional way of working. Working from home during the nationwide lockdown led to poor quality of work and a lack of efficiency, which ultimately led to poor work productivity. Many employers worldwide chose to protect both the health and job security of their employees by implementing remote working. The average household lack the components of a functional office setup such as a simple desk and good quality chair. This consequently predisposed many to work hunched over coffee tables or on kitchen stools without proper neck and back support. It is possible that many working individuals will emerge with increased incidence of MSP after the coronavirus crisis. Ergonomic support for effective remote working may have been ignored amidst the more disastrous effects of the pandemic, but the crisis becoming a major contributor to an increased onset of MSP. This is likely to remain as the norm, even after the shifting of lockdowns, for millions of workers. The adverse effects of the pandemic thus appear to extend beyond its direct consequences into an increased onset of ergonomical concerns that warrants some investigation. This study therefore aimed to determine the prevalence and effects of upper body (head, neck, shoulder and back) musculoskeletal pain associated with ergonomic changes experienced with remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is hoped that the results of this study will inform interventions to redress such effects in remote working climates.