Association between musculoskeletal pain and telework in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic: an integrative review

INTRODUCTION: Telework has been an alternative for companies to remain active in the market during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the mains scientific evidence on the association between musculoskeletal pain and home office work during the COVID 19 pandemic. METHODS: This is an integrative review guided by the following question: can workers present musculoskeletal pain due to home office work during the COVID 19 pandemic? The searches were conducted on the bases de dados MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Library, Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science, Taylor & Francis, Embase, LILACS and SciELO databases. The study included articles published from March 2020 until the time of data collection, which occurred on April 20(th), 2021. RESULTS: The main findings showed complaints of increased musculoskeletal pain, especially in the low back region, followed by neck, except for a study in which the participants increased the number of hours of physical activity during the pandemic. Increased sedentary lifestyle, poor posture, and increased physical load due to household chores seemed to promote the onset of musculoskeletal disorders. The point prevalence of neck pain was significantly related to age, sex, health status, job satisfaction, and length of employment. The findings provided evidence that the impact on work and leisure was substantial. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic worsened the musculoskeletal health of workers in different areas whose work activities were kept at home in the remote mode. However, engagement in physical activity during confinement periods was beneficial for reducing the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain.