Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a prevalent occupational health issue, further intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the rapid shift to teleworking [1]. This change in work environments has raised concerns about its impact on employee health.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MSDs among employees during teleworking and on-site work and to compare the intensity of these disorders between the two work settings.

Methods: Data collection was performed using an online questionnaire distributed via Google Forms. Participants included employees who had experience in both on-site work and teleworking. Key variables included demographic characteristics, work duration, frequency and length of breaks, and device usage. The validated French version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was employed to assess the presence and impact of MSDs [2].

Results: A total of 145 employees participated in the study. The sex ratio was 1.01 (73 males/72 females), with an average age of 33 ± 8 years. Participants had been working at their company for an average of 7 ± 6.5 years. The mean duration of telework experience was 16±14 months. Regarding work schedule, employees reported an average of 7±1 hours of daily work in both settings, with 72% working 5 days per week on-site and 65% working 5 days per week during teleworking. The average daily break time was 73±39 minutes on-site and 79±10 minutes during telework. Most participants used a laptop for work (88% on-site; 90% during telework). During on-site work, 75% of participants (n=108) reported MSDs. The most affected regions were the lower back (64%, pain level 5±3), upper back (63%, pain level 4±3), and neck (60%, pain level 5±3). While during teleworking, 90% of participants (n=130) reported MSDs. The most affected regions were the lower back (78%, pain level 5±3), upper back (68%, pain level 4±3), and neck (69%, pain level 4±3). The prevalence of MSDs was statistically higher during teleworking than during on-site work (p=0.04), particularly regarding the lower back (p=0.03), hips (p=0.001) and ankles (p=0.04).

Conclusion: The prevalence and intensity of MSDs were significantly higher during teleworking compared to on-site work. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, including ergonomic adaptations and education on healthy work practices, to mitigate the risk of MSDs in teleworking environments.

REFERENCES: [1] Moretti A, Menna F, Aulicino M, Paoletta M, Liguori S, Iolascon G. Characterization of Home Working Population during COVID-19 Emergency: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. IJERPH. 2020;17(17):6284.

[2] Kuorinka I, Jonsson B, Kilbom A, Vinterberg H, Biering-Sørensen F, Andersson G, et al. Standardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. Appl Ergon. 1987;18(3):233‑7.

Acknowledgements: NIL.

Disclosure of Interests: None declared.

© The Authors 2025. This abstract is an open access article published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases under the CC BY-NC-ND license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ). Neither EULAR nor the publisher make any representation as to the accuracy of the content. The authors are solely responsible for the content in their abstract including accuracy of the facts, statements, results, conclusion, citing resources etc.