INCIDENCE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS IN POLICE OFFICERS RIDING MOTORCYCLES WHILE ON DUTY/ WYSTEPOWANIE DOLEGLIWOSCI ZE STRONY NARZADU RUCHU U POLICJANTOW PELNIACYCH SLUZBE NA MOTOCYKLACH

• Published in: Medycyna pracy 2020-03, Vol.71 (2), p.177
• Main Authors: Matysiak, Aleksandra, Trybulec, Bartosz, Wojcik, Roksana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Demographic aspects; Health aspects; Motorcycling; Musculoskeletal diseases; Police officers; Risk factors
• ISSN: 0465-5893
• DOI: 10.13075/mp.5893.00940

Background: Riding a motorcycle involves a risk of suffering from ailments of the musculoskeletal system. These can be caused, i.a., by long-term persistence of a unfavorable body position, vibrations or the necessity of wearing a protective helmet. One of the occupational groups that use motorcycles are road traffic police officers. There are few literature reports of ailments related to riding a motorcycle, especially as regards police officers using these vehicles while on duty. The key objective of this research was to investigate the occurrence of locomotor system disorders during a motorcycle ride or after it, among Polish police officers who actively ride motorcycles. Factors which can affect the occurrence and characteristics of those disorders were also verified. Material and Methods: A survey including 42 questions was used in the research. After obtaining the consent from the Police Commander-in-Chief, 485 questionnaires were distributed to selected Provincial Police Headquarters, 377 of which were eventually approved for statistical analysis. Results: In 57.37% of the investigated police officers who regularly rode motorcycles while on duty, ailments of the locomotor system were reported, which most often appeared after a long ride (53.46%), and usually disappeared within a few hours after its end (60.65%). The ailments were found to mostly occur in the lumbosacral (76.17%) and cervical spine (50.93%); however, the highest intensity was observed in the lumbosacral spine (5.86%) and knee joints (5.11%). Also, there was a direct connection between pain and years of service on a motorcycle (p = 0.014), the average monthly distance (p = 0.036), and past motorcycle accidents (p = 0.001), or other accidents (p = 0.002). Conclusions: The Polish police officers experience locomotor system disorders related to riding a motorcycle while on duty. The factors affecting their occurrence include experience in riding a motorcycle, the monthly distance covered, and accidents. Key words: pain, back pain, musculoskeletal system, motorcycles, police officers, driving time Wstep: Jazda na motocyklu wiaze sie z ryzykiem wystapienia dolegliwosci ze strony ukladu ruchu, ktore moga byc spowodowane m.in. dlugotrwalym utrzymywaniem niekorzystnej pozycji ciala, wibracjami lub koniecznoscia noszenia kasku ochronnego. Jedna z grup zawodowych uzytkujacych motocykle podczas sluzby sa policjanci ruchu drogowego. Niewiele badan zostalo poswieconych dolegliwosciom zwiazanym z j