OCCURRENCE OF THE OSTEOMUSCULAR SYMPTOMS IN WORKERS IN THE METALLURGIC INDUSTRY

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify the occurrence of pain in individuals in the metallurgical industry in the city of Ponta Grossa, PR. The data collection was carried out through the application of five instruments: the first composed of individual issues; the second refers to the Nordic Musculoskeletal Symptoms Questionnaire; the third McGill pain questionnaire; the fourth Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire; and the fifth on the Visual analog scale of pain. These instruments had the objective to identify and characterize the musculoskeletal symptoms related to pain, as well as the body regions most affected. The sample was composed of 74 male employees with an average age of 31 years. The results indicated that the region's most affected were the lumbar spine region with 69%, followed by thoracic spine region with 65%, ankle and foot with 58%, wrist, hands and fingers with 56%, shoulders with 48% , arm with 43%, forearm with 36%, knees with 35%, waist and thigh with 33%, neck with 30% and elbows with 16%. In the workers with musculoskeletal symptoms in lumbar spinal region, it was found that they had a low functional impairment related to their pain. In the multidimensional assessment of pain, it was observed that the category that received the highest percentage was the evaluative category, which is the one that allows the expression of the overall evaluation of the painful experience. As for the painful sensation intensity measured by the Visual analogue scale of pain, has a mean of 6.8 and a standard deviation of 1.8. The scenario researched, identifies the need to promote the guidelines, ergonomic analyses and preventive actions targeting the most appropriate way for the employee to develop their jobs, in order to eliminate or minimize the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders.