International Journal of Agricultural

Science and Research (IJASR)

ISSN(P): 2250-0057; ISSN(E): 2321-0087
Vol. 6, Issue 5, Oct 2016, 321-326
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd

MUSCULOSKELETAL DISCOMFORT OF
PLANT NURSERY WORKERS IN HYDERABAD
DEEPIKA J1 & A. MRUNALINI2
1

Research scholar, Department of Resource Management and Consumer Sciences, Professor

Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Telangana, India

Professor and University Head, Department of Resource Management and Consumer Sciences,
Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Telangana, India

ABSTRACT
In today, Plant nurseries are becoming one of the enterprise not only in developing the plants but also selling
the plants. In another way, small plant nurseries helping in protecting the environment to maintain balance by reducing
temperature, humidity, radiant heat and air-flow. Plants at home not only protecting the health of the people and also
making the environment aesthetic and pleasant. The study was conducted on musculoskeletal discomforts of plant
nursery workers in Hyderabad district. For this study, a sample of 30 workers were selected through a purposive random
experienced in the lower back followed by neck, knees, legs and shoulder.
KEYWORDS : Enterprise, Environment, Information

Received: Sep 21, 2016; Accepted: Oct 05, 2016; Published: Oct 07, 2016; Paper Id.: IJASROCT201638

Original Article

sampling method. A structured interview schedule was used to gather information. The results revealed that highest pain

INTRODUCTION
A nursery can be a part of a diversification strategy to make a farm more profitable, or it may be the only
enterprise. Nursery workers plant, cultivate and harvest trees, shrubs or plants at garden centers, greenhouses and
agricultural fields. Nursery workers are exposed to awkward postures and poor lifting conditions in several of their
activities: 1) handling of plants in containers, 2) pruning of plants, 3) weeding, 4) plant labeling, and 5)
loading/unloading trucks (Meyers et al., 2000).
Musculoskeletal discomforts (MSDs) are defined as a group of injuries that affect the musculoskeletal
system including the nerves, tendons, muscles and supporting structures such as intervertebral discs
(NIOSH, 1997). MSDs are also referred to as overexertion/overuse injuries, cumulative trauma discomforts,
repetitive strain injuries, sprains and strains.
Repetitive lifting and forceful movements and awkward postures are well-known risk factors contributing
to MSDs (Malchaire et al., 2001and Nagasu et al., 2011).
Planting, weeding and watering can be physically demanding. Hauling heavy potted plants can put a
strain on back of the worker. Cutting plants with normal blades can hurt the hands and sometimes bleeding occurs.
Improper tools, work behaviours and no training for nursery workers can lead to discomforts. Weeding in plant
nurseries produces severe stooped postures for extended times that may lead to low back pain. For greenhouse and

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Deepika. J & A. Mrunalini

nursery workers, transporting of plants in containers often produces severe flexion (stooping) during the picking-up of the
plant. Harvesting crops often requires workers to bend over into a stooped trunk posture, oftentimes for significant periods
of time (NIOSH, 2001).
Gomez (2003) reported that prevalence of low back trouble among farmers was 41%, hand/wrist (28%) and knee
(15%) and hip trouble (15%). While the prevalence in specific activities of farming has not been completely identified,
there is no doubt that tasks being performed by workers contribute significantly to the development of low back pain.
Walker and Palmer (2002) found that the shoulder pain was greater in farming (14%) than either other manual
labour (9.7%) or non-manual labour (7.1%). It also found that the prevalence of low back pain in farmers to be around
50%, which has greater than manual labourers (37%). It was concluded that the upper extremity injuries are prevalent and
are related to several common risk factors.
Carruth (2002) reported that injuries increased as hours worked per week increased.
Park and associates (2001) found that farmers have reported having daily low back pain for a week (31%), which
is significantly greater than the general working population (18.5%).
Hwang et al. (2001) reported that most of the injuries such as fractures, laceration and internal bleeding occur
more than 90% of farmers in the state of New York reported a severe injury.
Working activities in plant nursery occupation had become a most hazardous with respect to injuries and
musculoskeletal discomforts.

METHODOLOGY
Research Design: Exploratory research design was adopted for the study.
Sample Size: A total of 30 samples were selected randomly for conducting the study in Hyderabad city.
Variables: Variables selected for the study age, gender, location, education, number of family members, income
of the workers and Musculoskeletal discomforts.
Tool used: Body map was used to identify the musculoskeletal discomforts.
Data Collection: Interview schedule was developed to collect the data.
Data Analysis: Frequencies and percentages were used for statistical data analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The results emerged out of the study on Musculoskeletal discomforts of workers in plant nursery centers an
analysis are discussed in this chapter. The data was compiled under the following heads:
Profile of the Workerss
Profile of the workerss was collected under the following heads like age, gender, location, education, number of
family members and income of the workers.
Age: Age of the plant nursery workers was ranged between 21-54 years. Maximum number of workerss (53%)
belonging to below 30 years, whereas minimum number of workerss (10%) belonging to above 43-54 years. Thirty seven
Impact Factor (JCC): 4.8136

NAAS Rating: 3.53

Musculoskeletal Discomfort of Plant Nursery Workers in Hyderabad

323

per cent of the workerss were middle age groups i.e., between 31-42 years. The mean and S.D. of the workerss was 31.43
and 8.74 respectively Table 1.
Gender: In Gender, 57% of the male workers were participated more than female workers (43%) in plant
nurseries.
Educational Status: In plant nursery, Fifty three percent of workers were illiterate and 14 per cent were literate
workers was found. The mean sample of the workers was 1.70 with S.D of 0.47.
Marital Status: In marital status, most of the sample (70%) was married and nine per cent of the sample was
unmarried.
Income: Plant nursery workers had got equal percent (37%) of Income in both below Rs.3, 000 and Between
Rs.3, 000 to 5,000 whereas 26 per cent of the sample had found above Rs. 5,000 with mean (1.90) and S.D (0.80).
Work Experience
Twenty per cent of the workers had experience of more than five years whereas thirteen per cent of the workers
had less than 3 years of work experience. Thirty seven per cent of the workers experienced between 3-5 years. The mean of
the sample was 1.77 with S.D of 0.77.
Table 1: Profile of the Workers
Distribution of Sample
Below 30
Between 31-42
Above 43-54
Male
Female
Illiterate
Literate
Unmarried
Married
Below Rs.3000
Between Rs.3000-5000
Above Rs.5000
Less than 3 years
Between 3-5 years
More than 5 years

No of Workers
Percentage
(N=30)
(%)
Age
16
53
11
37
3
10
Gender
17
57
13
43
Educational Status
16
53
14
47
Marital Status
9
30
21
70
Income
11
37
11
37
8
26
Work Experience
13
43
11
37
6
20

Mean

S.D

31.43

8.74

1.43

0.50

1.70

0.47

1.47

0.51

1.90

0.80

1.77

0.77

From the distribution of table, it was observed that most of the workers were young adults and male dominated
area.
Musculoskeletal Discomfort while Performing Different Activities among Workers in Plant Nurseries
Musculoskeletal discomforts of workers was studied in terms of Prevalence of musculoskeletal discomforts,
intensity of pain and nature of injuries in plant nursery centers among workers. Table 2 brings out data on workers
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Deepika. J & A. Mrunalini

experiencing discomfort symptoms in the form of pain pertaining to the muscles of neck, upper back, and lower back,
upper and lower extremities.
Table 2: Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Discomforts in Plant Nursery Workersn=30
Body Parts
Neck
Upper back
Lower back
Upper Extremities
Shoulder
Upper arm
Elbow
Lower arm
Wrist
Palm
Lower Extremities
Thighs
Knees
Legs
Ankle

Workers Experiencing MSD(%)

68
54
72
Right
Left
42
22
35
28
25
26
35
17
30
12
24
10
21
66
71
52

24
68
64
63

From Table 2, Highest percentage (72%) of the workers experienced lower back pain whereas fifty four per cent
reported pain in upper back. Sixty eight per cent of the workers experienced pain in the neck. In upper extremities, 42 per
cent of pain was felt in the right shoulder followed by 35 per cent in the right upper arm and lower arm, wrist (30%), elbow
(25%) and palm (24%). Left side of the upper extremity experienced highest per cent (28%) in upper arm followed by
elbow (26%), shoulder (22%), lower arm (17%), wrist (12%) and palm (10%).
With respect to lower extremities 21 per cent experienced pain in right thigh and 24 per cent in left thigh. Sixty
six per cent of the workers experienced pain in right knee and sixty eight per cent in left knee (68%). Similarly 71 per cent
of the workers experienced pain in right leg and 64 per cent in left leg. In Ankle, fifty two per cent of pain experienced in
right side and sixty three per cent in left side Table 2.
Intensity of Pain in Plant Nursery Workers
Intensity of musculoskeletal problems while performing the selected activity was recorded on a three point score
varying from 1-3, viz., 1 for very mild and 3 for Severe discomfort in the affected body parts. Results have been presented
in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Distribution of Sample by the Intensity of Pain While Performing the Activities
Impact Factor (JCC): 4.8136

NAAS Rating: 3.53

Musculoskeletal Discomfort of Plant Nursery Workers in Hyderabad

325

From figure 1, Sixty three per cent of the workers felt severe pain in cutting followed by watering (59%), sowing
(58%), packing (55%), cleaning the soil (45%), transplanting (42%) and manure application (36%).
Highest percentage (33%) of the workers felt moderate pain while performing soil cleaning activity and less
percentage was found in sowing activity. Equal percentage (20%) of workers felt moderate pain in both transplanting and
manure application.
In sowing, sixteen per cent of the workers felt mild pain followed by cleaning the soil and packing (13%),
watering (12%), manure application (11%), transplanting (9%) and cutting (4%).
From the distribution of sample, it was evident that most of the workers had found severe pains while performing
the activity.
Nature of Injuries Occurring to Plant Nursery Workers
Nature of injury refers to the identification of an injury in terms of its principal physical characteristics (i.e.,
bleeding, burning, numbness, stress and strain, swelling and pain etc.).

The reported data provide compelling evidence

that Strains and Sprains overwhelmingly dominate the nature of frequent injuries. See Table 3.
Table 3: Nature of Injuries Occurring to Plant Nursery Workers in Percentagesn=30
Body
discomforts /
Activities
Cuts
Burns
Numbness
Stress and strain
Swelling

Cleaning the
Soil

Sowing

Transplanting

Manure
Application

Watering

Cutting

Packing

0
0
33
30
7

0
0
40
23
7

7
13
17
13
23

7
93
0
0
0

0
0
28
20
20

60
0
0
0
17

0
20
18
20
20

From the above Table 3, Sixty percent of the workers had bleeding problems while performing cutting activity.
Equal percent (7%) had found problem while performing transplanting and manure application.
Burning sensation had occurred while performing the activities like manure application (93%) followed by
packing (20%) and Transplanting (13%)
Highest percentage of numbness had found in workers while performing the sowing activity (40%) followed by
cleaning the soil (33%), watering (28%), packing (18%) and transplanting (17%).
Highest percentage of workers had felt more stress and strain while performing the cleaning the soil (30%)
followed by sowing (23%), watering and packing (20%) and transplanting (13%).
While performing the transplanting activity, highest percentage (23%) of the sample had swelling. Equal percent
(20%) of the sample had found the swelling problem in their hands and legs due to continuous work while doing watering
and packing activity. Seven percent of the sample had found in doing cleaning the soil and sowing activity.

CONCLUSIONS
This study was taken up to explore the musculoskeletal discomfort of workers while performing different
activities. All the workers reported that they had to work continuously for longer periods in a standing and forward bend
posture which produces pain in different parts of the body. This study revealed that workers in plant nursery centers had
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Deepika. J & A. Mrunalini

the number of health problems and work posture adopted during performing activities. Cuts and swelling, slips and
stiffness, burns and numbness were the most frequent injuries among workers recorded in this study. Ergonomic
interventions like designing user-friendly working tools with proper work layout may minimize the problems related to
constrained postures, and self-protective aids like insulated aprons, large handle tools, cut-resistant gloves and cutters
would be important to reduce the occurrences of body part symptoms.
REFERENCES
1.

Carruth, A. K., Skarke, L., Moffett, B., and Prestholdt, C. 2002. Nonfatal injury experiences among women on family farms.
Clinical Nursing Research. 11(2): 130-148.

2.

Gomez, M.I., Hwang, S., Stark, A.D., May, J.J., Hallman, E.M and Pantea, C.I. 2003. An analysis of self reported joint pain
among new York farmers. Journal of agricultural safety and health. 9(2): 143-157.

3.

Hwang, S. A., Gomez, M. I., Stark, A. D., St John, T. L., May, J. J., and Hallman, E. M. 2001. Severe farm injuries among New
York farmers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 40(1): 32-41

4.

Meyers, J,M., Miles, J.A., Faucett, J., Janowitz, I., Tejeda, D.G., Duraj, V., Kabashima, J., Smith, R and Weber, E. High risk
tasks for musculoskeletal discomforts in agricultural field work. Proceedings of the IEA 2000/HFES 2000 congress. 2000.

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Malchaire J, Cock N. and Vergracht S. (2001). Review of the factors associated with musculoskeletal problems in
epidemiological studies. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 74, 79-90

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Nagasu M, Sakai K, Kogi K, Ito A, Feskens EJM , Tomita S Temmyo Y, Ueno M and Miyagi S. (2011). Prevalence of selfreported finger deformations and occupational risk factors among professional cooks: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public
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National Institute for occupational safety and health: musculoskeletal discomforts and workplace factors: a critical review of
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National institute for occupational safety and health: simple solutions: ergonomics for farm workers. 2001. 1-53.

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Walker, K and Palmer, K.T. 2002. Musculoskeletal discomforts in farmers and farm workers. Occupational medicine. 52(8):
441-450.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.8136

NAAS Rating: 3.53