Association between the time of physical laboral activities and leisure over shoulder pain in fruitculture workers: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Fruitculture workers are exposed to shoulder pain disorders due to long working time in overhead activities. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the association between the time of physical work and leisure activities over the perception of shoulder pain intensity in fruit growing workers. METHODS: This is a descriptive and correlational cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 180 fruit-growing workers. Multivariable logistic regression was used, with an estimate of the Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals. The dependent variable: Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) (0–10 points), was categorized as low and high, with cutoff points NPRS > 3 and NPRS > 4, and was associated with the independent variables (level of physical activity, personal, labour and psychosocial). RESULTS: Workers which are insufficiently active in leisure time are more likely to report high-intensity shoulder pain, NPRS > 3 (OR: 2.39; p = 0.049) and NPRS > 4 (OR: 2.85; p = 0.036). In addition, working time in overhead activities is a risk factor for high-intensity pain for NPRS > 3 and NPRS > 4 (OR = 1.01; p < 0.001). Underweight and normal-weight workers were less likely to report shoulder pain in NPRS > 3 (OR = 0.35; p = 0.020) and in NPRS > 4 (OR = 0.20; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Fruit-growing workers had a high prevalence of severe shoulder pain. In addition, workers who are insufficiently active at leisure, overweight and obese are more likely to report severe pain. It was observed that overhead tasks increase the chances of reporting high-intensity shoulder pain among workers.