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Moshi H.1,2, Malya C.2
1Umea University, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Umea, Sweden, 2Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Physiotherapy, Moshi, Tanzania
Background: Culturally and socioeconomically women in rural Tanzania are head loaders in most of their day to day activities. Although frequent head loading may have several musculoskeletal consequences, this activity lacks documentation especially from rural areas of Africa and Tanzania in particular.
Purpose: This study aimed at identifying the common work-related musculoskeletal pain among women carrying banana loads on their heads at Kilimanjaro rural area.
Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study design was employed to conduct data collection among randomly selected women carrying banana loads on their heads heading to the market. Each womans weight was measured with and without the banana load was measured using a digital. The difference between the two weights was calculated to obtain weight of the banana load. Individuals height was measured using measuring rod. The weight without the banana load and height were used to assign the body mass index to each participant. A modified Nordic questionnaire for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms was administered to each woman inquiring of their experience of pain in any part of the body associated with banana carrying. Data was analyzed descriptively and frequencies presented as numbers and percentages. Association between categorical variables was computed using Chi-squire.
Results: We enrolled 216 women with mean age 46.4, all peasant farmers. The majority (62%) had ideal body mass index and were carrying banana load which was more than 50% of their body weights on the head. Musculoskeletal pain related to carrying banana were reported at the; lower back (50%), neck (41.7%) and knees (28.2%). Heavier banana load was associated with higher prevalence of back and neck pain
(p = 0.04) and (0.006) respectively while younger aged individuals had more neck pain than the older ones (p=0.001).
Conclusion(s): In this setting most women carrying banana loads on their heads commonly suffer from low back, neck and knee pain during this activity. Weight of the carried load and percentage of the carried load relative to body weight are associated with both neck and lower back pain while age was associated with neck pain only.
Implications: The results for this study are useful for occupational health and rehabilitation professionals. Since women in most rural African settings are involved in routine carrying of heavy load on their heads, training them in manual handling techniques might reduce occurrence of musculoskeletal pain.
Funding acknowledgements: Self funding
Topic: Musculoskeletal: spine
Ethics approval: This project was approved by the authorized body of Research Ethics and review Committee of the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
