Effects of Working from Home on Musculoskeletal Pain and Coronaphobia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: COVID-19 pandemic impacted the physical and mental health of Brazilian workers, especially those who started acting in home-office. Changes in the workplace, increased physical inactivity and fear of contracting the disease, known as coronophobia, may be related to increased musculoskeletal pain. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and coronophobia in home-office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as evaluating the relationship between these variables. Method: A cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study with 736 participants was conducted through online questionnaire. Sociodemographic data, working conditions, pain, besides the evaluation of coronophobia using COVID-19 Phobia scale (C19P-S) and pain with the Nordic questionnaire of osteomuscular symptoms (NMQ) were collected. Results: Most participants were female (78%), with an average age of 32.8 +- 10.7 years. During the pandemic, 71% reported some osteomuscular symptoms, and of these, 64% began to have new paintings of pain in the pandemic, with higher incidence in the lower back and neck. Participants who began to perform their functions in home-office presented a higher incidence of pain and, among them, 53% reported that the furniture was not suitable for homework. Most had little fear of Covid-19, but moderate levels of coronophobia increased the chance of musculoskeletal pain (RP=1,74; IC 95%). There was a significant association between coronophobia and musculoskeletal pain. Conclusions: The pandemic raised the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, especially in cervical and lumbar regions, and the fear of Covid-19 influenced this relationship.