International Research Journal of Social Sciences_____________________________________ ISSN 23193565

Vol. 1(4), 48-50, December (2012) Int. Res. J. Social Sci.

International Science Congress Association 48
Causes of Musculo-Skeletal Disorder in Textile Industry

Tiwari Meenaxi and Babel Sudha
Deptt.of Textiles and Apparel designing College of home science, MPUAT, Udaipur, (Raj.), INDIA

Available online at: www.isca.in
Received 20
th
September 2012, revised 1
st
December 2012, accepted 13
th
December 2012

Abstract
Poor work pattern and working environment gives unnecessary physical efforts, which reduce efficiency and productivity
also. Sustaining any static posture, such as sitting, increases the demand on the muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissues
of the musculoskeletal system. It is not surprising then that overall discomfort and pain in the back, neck, and shoulders are
common symptoms reported by workers who sit for most of their workday. Sitting alters the normal curvature of the spine
and puts pressure on the discs. With prolonged sitting this pressure can cause compression of the discs. These resulting
chronic back pain and possible nerve damage can impact on workers ability degeneration of the cervical spine, sometimes
known as cervical spondylitis, can have serious consequences. Compression of the spinal cord at the level of cervical spine
can take place, resulting in weakness and wasting of the upper limbs. This may then spread to the lower limbs. high
percentages were suffered from MSDs commonly associated with poor ergonomic design in the workplace. MSDs
commonly associated with poor ergonomic design in the workplace. Without the application of ergonomic principles, tools,
machines, equipment, and workstations are often designed without much consideration of the fact that people are of all
different heights, shapes, and sizes and have different levels of strength. It is important to consider these differences in
order to protect worker's health and comfort. Without the application of ergonomic principles, workers are often forced to
adapt themselves to poor working conditions.

Keywords: Musculoskeletal disorder, textile industry, wrong posture, ergonomics.

Introduction
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a common health
problem throughout the world and a major cause of disability.
The economic loss due to such disorders affects not only the
individual but also the organization and society as a whole. At
the present time, MSDs is one of the most important problems
ergonomists are encountering in the workplace all over the
world. Carpet weaving is one of the most tedious professions,
requiring long hours of static work and can be a high-risk
occupation for developing MSDs as awkward posture, repetitive
movements and contact stress are common
1
. In a study on carpet
mending operation as a part of carpet industry that the working
conditions were poor and awkward working postures were very
common. They reported high rate of musculoskeletal problems
in knees, back and shoulders of the carpet menders. Prevalence
of low back pain in India was mostly analysed in case of
unorganized sectors
2
. In case of textile industry a cross sectional
study among 514 textile workers of Shree Bapiro Deshmukh,
Grinni, Dardha, India remark that 57 workers suffered from low
back pain
3
.

Objectives: The main aim of this study are to know about
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and what are the causative
and preventive measures.

Causes of Musculoskeletal disorders in textile industry:
Physical and psychosocial load, poor climatic conditions, and
vibrations have been identified as risk factors that contribute to
developing MSDs among agricultural workers. In machine
manufacturing plant and textile weavers, high physical demands,
poor postures and insufficient recovery time are the contributing
factors to develop low back pain. In spite of apparently similar
occupational pattern of work, gender differences do exist in the
prevalence and severity of MSDs and perception of work as
stressors
4
. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs)
have emerged as major health problem among workers in both
industrialized and industrially developing countries. Several work
place factors, such as repetitive work, awkward and static
postures, have been identified as being associated with upper
extremity pain and discomfort. Studies in Iranian hand woven
carpet industry have report ted high prevalence of
musculoskeletal problem among weavers due to constraints of
working postures, poor design of loom, working time, repetitive
work and seat type
5
. Incongruence of work with man or vice
versa with poor work postures have caused dangerous
complications with locomotion organ disorders which has
resulted in creation of multiple physical, mental and financial
pressures, the reflection of which can finally be observed in the
community. Attention to such problems is of importance, because
in the one hand, the resulting disturbance in individual is either
irreversible or needs very lengthy treatment, and on the other
hand, it results in other sufferings with financial losses to the
individual, his family, surroundings and the community in turn
6
.
Shoe manufacturing industry is among the industries with high
prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, because the workers of
International Research Journal of Social Sciences____________________________________________________ISSN 23193565
Vol. 1(4), 48-50, December (2012) Int. Res. J. Social Sci.
International Science Congress Association 49
such industries perform sewing operations almost all of the time,
which doing such jobs without observing the appropriate
principles can result in irreversible damages to musculoskeletal
system of the individuals
7.
In this study, people working with
sewing machines in shoe manufacturing industry were studied
with to evaluate prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among
them
8.


In general, work related musculoskeletal disorders are caused
from repetition with continuation of trauma or pressure on
muscles, tendons, joints or bones in long run, due to repeated
works without observing ergonomic principles. The most
prominent example of them is different kinds of low back pain,
which is almost a common disease with around 80% all people
get inflicted with it at least once during their lifetime. According
to the latest studies carried out in relation with disease burdens
with risk factors in Iran in the year 2004, musculoskeletal
disorders occupy the second position after cardiovascular
diseases among the work related diseases
9
. Diseases like
musculo-tendinous pressure or strain/degenerative changes,
stiffness with rigidity of vertebral column in the morning,
radiating pain from sciatic nerve, epicondylitis, carpal tunnel
syndrome can be considered as musculoskeletal disorders
caused by not observing the proper regulations of doing the
job.2-4 In accordance with the report of World Health
Organization in 2002, low back pain constituted 37% of all
occupational risk factors which occupies the first rank among
the diseases complications caused by work
10
. Such high
prevalence of complications at international levels have made
the World Health Organization to name the first decade of the
third millennium as "the decade of campaign against
musculoskeletal disorders (as the silent epidemic)"
11
.

Preventive measures: Put your feet around the load, with your
body over it (if this is not feasible, try to get your body as close
as possible to the load). i. Use the muscles of your legs when
lifting. ii. Straighten your back. iii. Pull the load as close as
possible to your body. iv. Lift and carry the load with straight
downward turned arms.

Correct handling techniques
Lifting: Before lifting the load, you should plan and prepare for the
task. Make sure that: i. You know where you are going The area
around the load is clear of obstacles. ii. Doors are open and there is
nothing on the floor that could trip someone or make them slip. iii.
You have a good grip on the load. iv. Your hands, the load and any
handles are not slippery. v. If you are lifting with someone else,
both of you know what you are doing before you start.

You should adopt the following technique when lifting the load:
i. Put your feet around the load and your body over it (if this is
not feasible, try to keep your body as close possible to the load
and in front of it). ii. Use the muscles of your legs when lifting.
iii. Keep your back straight. iv. Pull the load as close as possible
to your body. v. Lift and carry the load with straight arms.
Pushing and pulling: Pushing and pulling handling devices
such as trolleys and barrows is particularly strenuous for the
back, shoulders and arms. i. Pushing and pulling is done using
the bodys own weight: when pushing you should lean forward,
when pulling you should lean backward. ii. You have enough
grip on the floor in order to lean forward/backward. iii. You
avoid twisting, turning and bending the back. iv. Handling
devices have handles/hand grips that you can use to exert force.
Handle height should be between the shoulder and waist so that
you can push/pull in a good, neutral posture. v. Handling
devices are well-maintained so that the wheels run smoothly. vi.
Floors are hard, even and free from rubbish (good
housekeeping).

Environment
The following characteristics of the work environment may
increase the risk of back injury:

Space available: A lack of space to carry out manual handling
may lead to inappropriate body postures and dangerous
imbalance in the loads.

Floor: Handling loads on different working levels or on floors
that are slippery, uneven or unstable (such as working platforms
or fishing boats) may increase the risk of accidents and back
injury.

Climate: The physical climate (temperature, humidity and
ventilation) may affect the risk of back injury. Heat makes you
feel tired, and sweat makes it hard to hold tools, requiring more
force. Cold can make your hands numb, making it hard to grip.

Lighting: Insufficient lighting may increase the risk of
accidents when handling loads. It may also make you work in
awkward positions to see clearly what you are doing
5,6
.

Conclusion
Safety and health of workers is important for smooth and
effective functioning of any organization. There are numerous
risk factors at workplace that can affect workers health. Comfort
and Performance in one or more ways. Typical health effects of
working environment are headache, fatigue, impaired vision,
hearing loss, musculoskeletal problems and reduced work
performance. in the Textile industry ,where the
workers/operator performs task in a sitting/standing position,
static and awkward postures, duration of work, furniture design
and adequate rest pause are most often associated with the
occurrence of serious MSDs. Health effects may show up years
after exposure or after repeated or long exposure. Due to
increasing complexity of occupational health and safety
problems, there is a need to specify more and more aspect of
work place and work environment to reduce musculoskeletal
problems and occupational health hazards.

International Research Journal of Social Sciences____________________________________________________ISSN 23193565
Vol. 1(4), 48-50, December (2012) Int. Res. J. Social Sci.
International Science Congress Association 50
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