Prevalencia de lesiones en miembros superiores y nivel de riesgo por movimientos repetitivos en el personal de la empresa proveedora de verduras y hortalizas Ecuador

Abstract

Abstract: According to the agricultural activity in Ecuador as a source of economic income, which is in constant growth and the lack of studies that evaluate levels of risk that can trigger pathologies in the working population, the following is proposed: 1. Identify the level of ergonomic risk in the personnel that carries out activities with risk of repetitive movement at ECUAHOR”s company which supplies vegetables, through the OCRA method, for the identification of pathologies of the upper limbs. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the agricultural area with 10 workers from the post-harvest area of vegetables. The variables analyzed from the 2021 periodic occupational medical records with prior authorization from the user were the diagnosis during the physical examination, the control of special ultrasound examinations and the socio-demographic-occupational characteristics such as work history, pre-existing illness or injury, age and time of performance in the current position described. The identification of the level of risk against repetitive movements was evaluated with the OCRA method through videos of the workstations. Results: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the agricultural area with the participation of 10 workers in the post-harvest area of vegetables, the selected personnel completed more than 6 months in the labor activity and there was no distension of sex, nor age. The study allowed the identification of peripheral neuropathies of the median nerve and tenosynovitis of the finger extensors 2,3,4, (MSD) in two people with the physical evaluation and the ultrasound report, with a time in the position greater than 2 years, with work history with previous repetitive movements. An asymptomatic person with the presence of the two previously described pathologies was also identified by ultrasound report, in another person a synovial cyst vs a ganglion on the palmar aspect of the right wrist being symptomatic, in the cases mentioned they served more than 2 years in the position, and they had a work record with previous repetitive movements. The evaluation method applied was OCRA, identifying a medium risk level in the activity of stem cutting, peeling of celery and turnip leaves with greater involvement of the extremity of the right side that makes the cuts with the knife and the hand is used for leaf removal. In the activity of washing, peeling turnip and celery leaves, a high-risk level was identified without major significances between the two extremities. Conclusions: The prevalence of peripheral neuropathies of the median nerve and tenosynovitis of finger extensors 2,3,4 (MSD) was identified in vegetable postharvest jobs, with a probable relation to previous work record with activities of repetitive movements such as skinning chickens, growing broccoli, picking grapes, and picking flowers. Two levels of risk of exposure to repetitive movements were determined with a medium and high level in the evaluation by the OCRA method. According to the findings, the origin of peripheral neuropathies and musculoskeletal disorders associated with repetitive movements cannot be ruled out.