When Unnecessary Tasks Weigh Heavily on the Back: A Diary Study on Musculoskeletal Pain.

Background: Auxiliary tasks such as administrative work often include tasks that are unnecessary in the view of workers but still have to be done. These tasks can threaten a worker's self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of unnecessary and unreasonable tasks on musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: Fifty-five office workers (29 male; mean age = 41.96, = 14.2 years) reported their unnecessary and unreasonable tasks at the beginning of the study and kept a diary of their daily musculoskeletal pain over 5 weeks, using a visual analogue scale. Other work-related risk factors (prolonged sitting), job resources (participation in decision-making), and individual risk factors (sex, smoking, exercise, body mass index, maladaptive back beliefs) were controlled for in multilevel regression analysis.

Findings: Multilevel regression analysis with 742 reports showed unnecessary tasks ( = 4.27, = .006)-but not unreasonable tasks ( = 3.05, = .074)-to predict the daily intensity of musculoskeletal pain, beyond other significant risk factors, such as prolonged sitting ( = 2.06, = .039), body mass index ( = 1.52, < .001), and maladaptive back beliefs ( = 3.78, = .003). Participation in decision-making was not a significant protective factor ( = -1.67, = .176).

Conclusions/application To Practice: The higher frequency of unnecessary tasks-compared with unreasonable tasks-could place workers at risk for musculoskeletal pain. Work redesign that reduces unnecessary and unreasonable tasks can make a valuable contribution to worker health and safety among office workers.