Symptoms of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Drivers of All-Terrain Vehicles in Northern Sweden

• Published in: Noise & Vibration Worldwide
• Main Authors: Rehn, B., Lundström, R., Nilsson, T., Bergdahl, I.A., Ahlgren, C., From, C., Sundelin, G., Järvholm, B.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2005
• Subjects: Mechanical Engineering; Acoustics and Ultrasonics; Mechanics of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; General Materials Science; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1260/0957456053499158; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1260/0957456053499158

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a group of machines that do not operate on prepared roads. Off-road use of these fast-moving machines results in the driver being exposed to high magnitudes of vibration and shock. It is estimated that there are up to 20,000 people in Sweden that uses ATVs during their work, such as forest machines, snowmobiles, snowgroomers, motorcycles, and three- and four-wheeled vehicles. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the risk for musculoskeletal symptoms of the neck, shoulders, upper and lower back among professional drivers of ATVs. Data from 215 male drivers of forest machines, 137 drivers of snowmobiles, 79 drivers of snowgroomers and 167 men randomly selected from the general population to act as a control group were collected. All subjects were from the four most northern counties in Sweden. Musculoskeletal symptoms during the previous year were assessed using the standardised Nordic questionnaire. Prevalence rate ratios were adjusted for age, smoking and job strain. Results showed that all driver categories had significantly increased prevalence rate ratios (1.5-2.9) for experiencing symptoms in the neck-shoulder and thoracic regions. Unlike findings from previous epidemiological studies, there was not an increased risk of low back pain among any of the driver categories compared to the control group. The higher prevalence of musculoskeletal problems is thought to be due to long-term exposure to physical factors, such as, whole-body vibration (WBV) and shock, static muscle overload and extreme body postures. The findings in this study highlight the fact that working with ATVs may cause, aggravate or prevent resolution of musculoskeletal symptoms. However, the exact cause of these problems is unclear and the interaction between vibration and body posture is not known. The authors believe however that it is necessary to reduce exposure to WBV and shock to decrease the high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among professional ATV drivers. This may be done by implementing preventative measures, such as selecting the best vehicle model or seat, optimising driving style and minimizing use in rough terrain. Health surveillance seems to be important for people that regularly use ATVs in their work.