P-167 an Intervention Program for Preventing Musculoskeletal Discomfort Among Workers in a Distillery–a One-Year Follow-Up Study

Introduction Ergonomic hazards in working environments have been shown to cause musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD). We implemented an intervention program for preventing MSD among the workers in a distillery in Taiwan and evaluate the effects. Methods We used the Modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence of MSD in two surveys, one before promoting stretching in the distillery and the other one year after. Results In 343 workers, the response rate was 83.7% in the first survey and 63.8% in the second. More workers reported MSD in the second survey compared to that in the first one (odds ratio [OR]: 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.4). For individual bodily parts, only the prevalence of right shoulder pain was significantly higher in the second survey (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.0-2.5). Using the results of the first survey as reference, we found a significant decreasing trend in the prevalence of MSD with pain score >2 in lower back, right shoulder, right elbow/forearm, and right hand/wrist (all with p value <0.05) among workers with optimal stretching program adherence. Discussion The overall prevalence of MSD increased over time in the distillery, but stretching might be associated with a decrease in the prevalence of relatively severe pain in lower back, right shoulder, right elbow/forearm, and right hand/wrist. Conclusions Our study observed a decreasing trend in the prevalence of MSD in lower back and right upper limb in workers who complied with the stretching program every day for 6-8 months, demonstrating the preventative effects of stretching on reducing MSD.