General unemployment and serious workplace injury rates: Workers compensation claims analysis from the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, 2007-2018.

Objectives: There is conflicting published evidence that unemployment impacts workplace safety. Some studies suggest that the workplace injury rate decreases during economic contractions, while others propose an increased rate of injuries during periods of economic contractions. This study investigated the association between unemployment rates and traumatic work-related non-fatal injury (WRNFI) in Saskatchewan, 2007-2018, in order to provide new insight into injury prevention.

Exploring the link between occupationally relevant whole body vibration and headache and neck pain: is elevated muscle tension an intermediary factor?

Whole body vibration (WBV) is linked to short- and longer-term adverse health outcomes, including cognitive impairment, stress and memory loss, loss of balance, reduced proprioception, visual and vestibular disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, and musculoskeletal disorders. Epidemiological evidence supports the link between WBV and headache and head discomfort, but few experimental studies have examined this relationship, particularly with increased muscle tension, as an intermediary. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between muscle tension and vibration intensity, between perceived neck pain and headache/head discomfort and vibration intensity, and between muscle tension and reported neck pain and headache symptoms from simulated WBV based on field measurements of all-terrain vehicle operation on farm terrain.

"Navigating chaos": Urban, Rural, and Remote Patient Experiences in Accessing Healthcare with Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Perspectives of Living with Chronic Low Back Pain.

Background: Healthcare access for chronic low back pain is complex and should consider not only the health system, but patient care seeking experiences as well. People who live in rural and remote communities and/or identify as being Indigenous may often encounter additional barriers to accessing care for chronic low back pain; thus, these contexts must be considered to fully understand barriers and facilitators.

Aims: The aim of this study was to understand care-seeking experiences of people living with chronic back pain in Saskatchewan and determine unique experiences facing urban, rural, remote, and/or Indigenous peoples.

Healthcare Access Challenges and Facilitators for Back Pain Across the Rural-Urban Continuum in Saskatchewan, Canada: Cross-Sectional Results From a Provincial-Wide Telephone Survey.

Background: Chronic back pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder, disproportionately affecting rural and Indigenous people. Saskatchewan has a relatively high proportion of rural and Indigenous residents; therefore, understanding barriers and facilitators to accessing healthcare are needed to improve healthcare service delivery.

Methods: A provincial-wide telephone survey explored experiences and perceived healthcare access barriers and facilitators among 384 Saskatchewan residents who experienced chronic low back pain.

The effect of selected rest break activities on reaction time, balance, and perceived discomfort after one hour of simulated occupational whole-body vibration exposure in healthy adults.

Materials & Methods: Eleven healthy adults participated in four 1-hour sessions of ecologically valid WBV exposure followed by one of four 5-minute activities: sitting, walking, 2 min of gaze stabilization exercise (GSE) coupled with 3 min of trunk mobility exercise (GSE + MOBIL), or 2 min of GSE coupled with a 3-minute walk (GSE + WALK). Baseline and post-activity measurements (rating of perceived discomfort, balance and postural sway measurements, 5-minute psychomotor vigilance task test) were submitted to a paired t-test to determine the effect of WBV exposure and activities on physical, cognitive, and sensorimotor systems and to a repeated measures ANOVA to determine any differences across activities.

Results: We observed degradation of the slowest 10% reaction speed outcomes between baseline and post-activity after walking (7.

Addressing Exoskeleton Implementation Challenges: Case Studies of Non-Acceptance in Agriculture.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to detect success and failure factors for the implementation of passive exoskeletons in agriculture. Exoskeletons have been shown to reduce musculoskeletal loads during lab-based manual tasks, but long-term implementation experiences in agriculture are lacking.

Methods: We analyzed four intervention studies in agriculture focusing on methodological and contextual reasons why the trials were successful or unsuccessful.

Experiences of Health Care Access Challenges for Back Pain Care Across the Rural-Urban Continuum in Canada: Protocol for Cross-sectional Research.

Background: Back pain is common and costly, with negative impacts on both individuals and the health care system. Rural, remote, and Indigenous populations are at greater risk of experiencing back pain compared to urban and non-Indigenous populations. Potential barriers to health care access among Canadians with chronic back pain (CBP) have been identified; however, no study has used lived experiences of people with CBP to drive the selection, analysis, and interpretation of variables most meaningful to patients.

Towards safety and autonomy in the home bathroom: Identifying challenges, needs and gaps.

This qualitative study aims to identify challenges, needs and gaps for home care bathroom tasks and gather information that will allow for user-centered, sustainable solutions for home care in the bathroom. Twenty-one interviews were carried out with participants with the perspective of client, health care worker or care organization. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and interpretive description.

Evidence of rotator cuff disease after breast cancer treatment: scapular kinematics of post-mastectomy and post-reconstruction breast cancer survivors.

Background: Breast cancer survivors may be at risk of experiencing rotator cuff disease after treatment. Biomechanical alterations following surgery potentially predispose survivors to develop this disorder.

Objective: To examine scapular kinematics in breast cancer survivors with and without impingement pain during an overhead reach task.

Higher unemployment and higher work-related traumatic fatality: trends and associations from the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, 2007-2018.

Objective: Although Saskatchewan appears to have the greatest burden of work-related fatality (WRF) in Canada, it is unclear how WRF rates have varied over time. We investigated the WRF rate in Saskatchewan over the past decade and modeled potential risk factors for WRF, including economic indicators.

Methods: In this cross-sectional, population-based study, Saskatchewan workplace traumatic fatalities grouped by year, season, and worker characteristics (eg, age, industry) were used in addition to Statistics Canada labor force survey total employment, total labor force, and the number of unemployed workers by year and season.

Ergonomic assessment of veterinarians during performance of bovine reproductive examinations.

Objective: To identify and quantify potential ergonomic hazards associated with routine reproductive examinations of cattle.

Sample: 7 bovine veterinarians.

Procedures: Each veterinarian was observed and videotaped during 2 bovine reproductive examination appointments.

Does functional performance and upper body strength predict upper extremity reaction and movement time in older women?

Background: Reaction time to initiate upper limb movement and movement time to place hands on the landing surface may be important factors in forward fall landing and impact, contributing to injury reduction. The aim was to investigate the relationship of physical function and upper body strength to upper limb reaction and movement time in older female participants.

Methods: 75 female participants (72 ± 8 yrs) performed 5 arm response trials.

A randomized controlled trial investigating effects of an individualized pedometer driven walking program on chronic low back pain.

Background: Walking is an easily prescribed physical activity for people with low back pain (LBP). However, the evidence for its effectiveness to improve pain and disability levels for people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) within a community setting has not been evaluated. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a clinician guided, pedometer-driven, walking intervention for increasing physical activity and improving clinical outcomes compared to education and advice.

Potential exoskeleton uses for reducing low back muscular activity during farm tasks.

Background: As the sustainability of the agricultural workforce has been threatened by the high prevalence of back pain, developing effective interventions to reduce its burden within farming will contribute to the long-term health and productivity of workers. Passive back-support exoskeletons are being explored as an intervention to reduce the physical demands on the back muscles, and consequently mitigate the risk of back pain, in many industrial sectors.

Methods: This study investigated whether exoskeleton use could reduce farmers' low back muscle load.

High Risk? Indoor Cannabis Producers' Perceptions of Occupational Health and Safety.

: Recent legal changes mean Canadian cannabis production has moved from an illegally grown crop to a potentially common one. However, little is known about the needs of long-time producers accustomed to operating outside a legal framework. In order to develop effective safety communication strategies, there is a need to better understand cannabis producers' perceptions of OHS regulations, OHS controls, and sources of OHS information.

Risk factors associated with work-preventing musculoskeletal discomfort in the upper extremities of bovine practitioners.

Objective: To identify risk factors associated with work-preventing musculoskeletal discomfort (MSKD) in the upper extremities (defined as neck, shoulders, upper back, arms, elbows, wrists, and hands) of bovine practitioners.

Sample: 116 members of the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners.

Procedures: Data from a previously described cross-sectional survey of western Canadian bovine practitioners underwent further analysis.

Economic analysis of new workplace technology including productivity and injury: The case of needle-less injection in swine.

Increasing intensification in swine production has led to new and specialized technologies, but the occupational health and safety impacts are rarely quantified in the business plans for adoption. Needle-less injection has potential to increase productivity and eliminate needle stick injury in workers, but it is not clear whether these benefits offset high capital investment and potential increases in musculoskeletal loads. This economic evaluation employed probabilistic scenario analysis using injury, cost, and production data gathered from interviews with swine producers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Mapping Physiotherapy Use in Canada in Relation to Physiotherapist Distribution.

In this cross-sectional study, we examined the distribution of physiotherapists at the health region level across Canada in relation to self-reported physiotherapy use across the provinces and territories. We drew on two data sources: the physiotherapy use question from the 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey and physiotherapists' primary employment information, obtained from the Canadian Institute of Health Information's 2015 Physiotherapist Database. We then applied geospatial mapping and Pearson's correlation analysis to the resulting variables.

Trunk Posture Exposure Patterns among Prairie Ranch and Grain Farmers.

: Low back disorders (LBD) are the most common musculoskeletal disorder among farmers, and awkward trunk postures such as repetitive bending are often cited as a contributor. However, it is not clear whether trends of increasing mechanization in agriculture may be impacting the requirement for trunk-intensive tasks. This study compared the patterns of working trunk posture among prairie farmers during both machine-intensive and non-intensive work days.

Prevalence and risk factors of low back disorders among waste collection workers: A systematic review.

Background: Waste management is a growing industry worldwide. Working conditions may entail risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders, and especially low back disorders (LBD).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review on: (i) the prevalence of LBD; and (ii) risk factors for LBD among waste collection workers.

Stable prevalence of chronic back disorders across gender, age, residence, and physical activity in Canadian adults from 2007 to 2014.

Background: Chronic back disorders (CBD) are a global health problem and the leading cause of years lived with disability. The present study aims to examine overall and specific trends in CBD in the Canadian population aged 18 to 65 years.

Methods: Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a cross-sectional study, from 2007 to 2014 (8 cycles) were used to calculate CBD prevalence across gender, age, geographical area (urban/rural and ten provinces and northern territories), and physical activity levels.

Get 'Er Done: Experiences of Canadian Farmers Living with Chronic Low Back Disorders.

This study explored the experiences of adult farmers living with chronic low back disorders (LBDs) in Saskatchewan. A qualitative phenomenological approach with inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze semi-structured interviews that had been audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interview items focused on the perceived cause of LBDs, their impact on social and work life, coping strategies, and health care access and use.

Self-reported use of family physician, chiropractor and physiotherapy services among adult Canadians with chronic back disorders: an observational study.

Background: Chronic back disorders (CBD) are prevalent, costly, and among the most common reasons for seeking primary care; however, little is known regarding the comparative use of family physician, chiropractic, and physiotherapy services among people with CBD in Canada. Elucidating these differences may identify potential gaps in access to care and inform the development of strategies to improve access. The research objectives were to investigate patterns of health care use and to profile factors associated with self-reported use of family physicians, chiropractors, and physiotherapists among adult Canadians with CBD.

The association between awkward working posture and low back disorders in farmers: a systematic review.

Background: Low back disorders (LBD) are the most common musculoskeletal problem among farmers, with higher prevalence than other occupations. Although studies of the general population have shown an association between LBD and awkward working posture, farmers have unique work context and exposures that may modify this relationship. This review aimed to 1) identify published research studies investigating posture as a risk factor for LBD in farmers/agricultural workers, and 2) determine the strength of the relationship between postural exposure and LBD risk of bias assessment.