Physical Fitness and Muscular Discomfort among
Informal Garment Female Workers in Udon Thani
Province, Thailand
Thanyawat Homsombat MPH*, Sunisa Chaiklieng Dr.biol.hum**
Affiliation :
* PhD program in Exercise and Sport Science, Graduate School, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
** Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Safety, Faculty of Public Health,
Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Background : Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common complaints among workers who work in intensive manual
labor including informal workers. Workers who have worked with prolonged improper posture have clearly decreased their
physical fitness and increased the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.
Objective : This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of muscular discomfort and to assess the physical
fitness of informal garment female workers.
Material and Method: The subjects were 1,674 informal garment female workers in Udon Thani Province. Data were
collected by using a structured questionnaire including complaints of muscular discomfort. Physical fitness tests were done
by using standard tools for testing back-leg strength, flexibility and hand grip strength.
Results : The highest complaint of muscular discomfort during the last month was located at the low back (41.75%), followed
by the shoulders (41.21%). Considering the severity as severe discomfort, the highest prevalence was found at the low back
(61.47%), followed by neck (61.23%). Those two areas were also presented as the highest frequency of discomfort for every
day pain. In general, the majority of workers had physical fitness at fair level and low back strength significantly correlated
with muscular discomfort.
Conclusion : The significant findings among informal garment workers were muscular discomfort predominantly located on
the low back and the factor of low back strength correlated with that muscular discomfort. The suggestion is there should be
a supporting surveillance program for prevention of chronic low back pain by a prospective cohort study as well as main-
taining the physical fitness by an exercise program for these informal garment workers.
Keywords : Informal workers, Low back pain, Back strength, Prevalence, Garment
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