Impact of neck posture and insulating stick use on neck disability in Korean line workers: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Occupational neck disability is a prevalent issue, especially among line workers, who are often exposed to elevated levels of cervical ergonomic stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of neck posture and insulating stick use on neck disability in a specific occupational group in Korea. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 483 line workers in Gwangju and Jeonnam, Korea. Data were collected using the Neck Disability Index, Cervical Degenerative Index, and a structured questionnaire focusing on demographic and occupational factors. Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for neck posture and factors related to neck disability. Results: Neck disability prevalence was 17.2% among the participants. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that factors related to neck disability included age over 60 years (adjusted OR: 3.08; 95% CI: 1.63-5.83), depression (adjusted OR: 8.33; 95% CI: 3.85-18.00), a history of cervical trauma (adjusted OR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.04-4.40), and radiological degenerative changes in the cervical spine (adjusted OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.26-4.33). In particular, the adjusted OR of neck disability among live-line workers was 2.10 (95% CI: 1.12-3.92) when compared with support workers (model 1). Other analysis models showed that use of insulating sticks for more than 10 hours per week (adjusted OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.32-4.61) and higher neck extension (adjusted OR: 2.98; 95% CI: 1.14-3.46) were significant work-related risk factors (model 2,3). Conclusions: Neck posture, age, depression, cervical trauma history, degenerative changes in the cervical spine, and use of insulating sticks are significant risk factors for neck disability among line workers in Korea. These findings highlight the need to improve the working environment and reduce the burden of cervical ergonomic stress among line workers.