Work-Related Wrist Discomfort and Its Associated Risk Factors Among Gardeners: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Background: Manual gardening involves repetitive gripping, cutting, watering, and sustained wrist positioning that may contribute to work-related wrist symptoms. Objective: To assess wrist discomfort and tendon-related clinical findings and determine associated demographic, occupational, and ergonomic factors among manual gardeners. Methods: A cross-sectional study included 277 male gardeners from the Parks and Horticulture Authority, Multan. Participant characteristics, occupational exposures, tool-related factors, pain, wrist movement, and FCR and FCU clinical-test findings were assessed. Categorical associations were evaluated using chi-square tests, while continuous parameters were compared using independent-samples or Welch's t-tests as appropriate. Results: Positive FCR and FCU tests were observed in 76.5% and 25.3% of participants, respectively. Pain was moderate in 52.3% and severe in 40.8%. Age was associated with FCR (p<0.001) and FCU status (p=0.001), while hand dominance was associated with both outcomes (p≤0.002). Cutting-related wrist flexion and tool length and width differed significantly according to FCR and FCU status (all p<0.001). Watering-related wrist flexion, watering-can weight, tool weight, and working hours were not significantly different between tendon-test groups. Conclusion: Wrist-related clinical findings were common among gardeners and were associated primarily with selected demographic and cutting-related ergonomic characteristics
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