Introduction:

Painful shoulder is a common medical problem in Primary Health Care and at the workplace. It can cause a considerable functional disability and can require periods of sick leave.

Objectives:

To describe the characteristics of patients treated for non-traumatic diseases of the shoulder, as well as to know the association between ergonomic requirements and preventive knowledge about the workplace in the development of sickness absence.

Methods:

Cross-sectional observational study in working age population of 345 patients who consulted their general practitioner throughout the year for shoulder pain, belonging to a health center from the Health Department of the Hospital General de Alicante. A questionnaire was used with questions about knowledge in occupational risk prevention, work requirements and whether or not temporary disability periods were required. A descriptive and analytical analysis was carried out.

Results:

39.1% of the interviewees reported periods of sick leave, qualified in 87% as a common disorder. 51% of them reported having no information about risks associated with their jobs. The most frequent ergonomic requirements referred by the respondents were: unnatural body posture, to raise the arm over the shoulder, to turn the neck-column, and to repeat movements. The probability of temporal disability was higher in those activities related to construction, agriculture, livestock and fisheries, people with knowledge of the existence of risk assessment and / or prevention plan, and the requirements of raising the arms, hitting surfaces, handling heavy loads, and using physical strength. To have knowledge about the existence of a prevention plan was shown as an independent risk factor (OR 4.2 [1.1-15.9]).

Conclusions:

It is important to preventively address the ergonomic requirements of the position as well as to gain greater knowledge of preventive structures in order to prevent the development of sick leave due to shoulder pain.