{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T04:04:11Z","timestamp":1793073851955,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,28]],"date-time":"2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1738022400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":27,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,10]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Garment workers are at high risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to repetitive physical tasks, long working hours and varying workstations. As there is no existing epidemiological overview of MSDs among garment workers, this systematic review aimed to evaluate the global evidence on prevalence of MSDs in this population.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A systematic review of the literature was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science electronic databases were searched to identify studies published in English up to November 2022. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate pooled prevalence.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The search yielded 258 published studies, of which 14 were deemed relevant and were included in this review. The included studies reported prevalence from India (n=3), Bangladesh (n=2), Ethiopia (n=2), Thailand (n=2), Botswana (n=1), Iran (n=1), Sri Lanka (n=1), Cambodia (n=1) and Denmark (n=1) and involved 15\u2009029 garment workers. Most of the included studies (79%) were assessed to be methodologically sound (low risk of bias). The mean age of participants ranged from 24.2 to 40 years. The prevalence of MSDs ranged from 15.5% to 92%. The pooled prevalence of MSDs from nine studies was 65.6% (95% CI 44.5% to 51.9%). Low back pain and neck pain were reported as the common MSDs in the included studies.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The findings highlight the considerable risk of MSDs, especially low back and neck pain, linked to repetitive tasks, extended hours and inconsistent workstations. Given the heavy toll of MSDs on this workforce, targeted interventions and ergonomic improvements are crucial to mitigate the risks and improve garment workers\u2019 well-being.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-085123","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,29]],"date-time":"2025-01-29T00:55:35Z","timestamp":1738112135000},"page":"e085123","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among garment workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Tadesse","family":"Gebrye","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Professions, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chidozie","family":"Mbada","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Professions, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Phoebe","family":"Apeagyei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7976-2013","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francis","family":"Fatoye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Professions, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK"},{"name":"Lifestyle Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"130","DOI":"10.1093\/annweh\/wxab075","article-title":"Concerning a Work Movement Velocity Action Level Proposed in \u2018Action Levels for the Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Neck and Upper Extremities: A Proposal\u2019 by Inger Arvidsson et al. (2021)","volume":"66","author":"Forsman","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann Work Expo Health"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101558","DOI":"10.1016\/j.berh.2020.101558","article-title":"Musculoskeletal health in the workplace","volume":"34","author":"Crawford","year":"2020","journal-title":"Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)32279-7"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.m791"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2458-6-1"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4103\/0019-5278.32462"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apergo.2007.03.002"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.8","first-page":"1","article-title":"Ergonomic compatibility between sewing workstation and Bangladeshi apparel workers","volume":"27","author":"Parvin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int J Occup Saf Ergon"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.9","unstructured":"Takala J , Niu S . Responses to the equity challenge in safety and health at work: improvement of working conditions in equitable bases. 27th International Congress on Occupational Health; 2003:1\u201312."},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.10","unstructured":"International Labour Organization . ILO introductory report: global trends and challenges on occupational safety and health. 2011."},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.4103\/0019-5278.146910","article-title":"Physical and psychological work demands as potential risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders among workers in weaving operations","volume":"18","author":"Telaprolu","year":"2014","journal-title":"Indian J Occup Environ Med"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.12","first-page":"316","article-title":"The effect of lean on occupational health and safety and productivity in the garment industry \u2013 a literature review","volume":"7","author":"Hamja","year":"2019","journal-title":"Prod Manuf Res"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1021","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-6486.00369","article-title":"Understanding Labour Turnover in a Labour Intensive Industry: Evidence from the British Clothing Industry*","volume":"40","author":"Taplin","year":"2003","journal-title":"J Management Studies"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"917","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_55_20","article-title":"How common are aches and pains among garment factory workers? A work-related musculoskeletal disorder assessment study in three factories of south 24 Parganas district, West Bengal","volume":"10","author":"Pal","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Family Med Prim Care"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.15","unstructured":"Berg A , Chhaparia H , Hedrich S , et al . What\u2019s next for Bangladesh\u2019s garment industry, after a decade of growth, 6. McKinsey & Company; 2021.1\u20137."},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.16","unstructured":"Nordas HK . The global textiles and clothing industry post agreement on textile and clothing. discussion paper (5). Geneva: World Trade Organisation, 2023."},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2021.02.003"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2011.11.014"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.283.15.2008"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1526","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-021-11556-4","article-title":"Registered health problems and demographic profile of integrated textile factory workers in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study","volume":"21","author":"Zele","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"732731","DOI":"10.1155\/2014\/732731","article-title":"Environmental and organizational factors associated with elbow\/forearm and hand\/wrist disorder among sewing machine operators of garment industry in Ethiopia","volume":"2014","author":"Kebede Deyyas","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Environ Public Health"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.22","article-title":"Fore-Warned Is Fore-Armed: Effect of Musculoskeletal Disorders on Sickness Absenteeism","volume":"14","author":"Mokhasi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.23","first-page":"269","article-title":"Musculoskeletal problems among workers in a garment industry, at Tirupur, Tamil Nadu","volume":"28","author":"Ravichandran","year":"2016","journal-title":"Indian J Community Health"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2063","DOI":"10.1111\/1756-185X.13423","article-title":"Musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders among 350 garment workers in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional pilot study","volume":"21","author":"Shazzad","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Rheum Dis"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0200122","article-title":"Prevalence of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and ergonomic risk assessment among readymade garment workers of Bangladesh: A cross sectional study","volume":"13","author":"Hossain","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.26","first-page":"29","article-title":"Musculoskeletal disorders of female workers and ergonomics problems in five different industries of a developing country","volume":"22","author":"Chavalitsakulchai","year":"1993","journal-title":"J Hum Ergol (Tokyo)"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.27","first-page":"230","article-title":"Physical Fitness and Muscular Discomfort among Informal Garment Female Workers in Udon Thani Province, Thailand","volume":"100","author":"Homsombat","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Med Assoc Thai"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.28","first-page":"279","article-title":"Ergonomics issues among sewing machine operators in the textile manufacturing industry in Botswana","volume":"38","author":"Sealetsa","year":"2011","journal-title":"Work"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3233\/WOR-203258"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"210","DOI":"10.1179\/1077352512Z.00000000029","article-title":"Musculoskeletal symptoms among female garment factory workers in Sri Lanka","volume":"18","author":"Lombardo","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int J Occup Environ Health"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1539\/joh.15-0100-FS","article-title":"Prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among garment workers in Kandal province, Cambodia","volume":"58","author":"Van","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Occup Health"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ajim.4700240604"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"114","DOI":"10.29252\/johe.6.2.114","article-title":"Health problems among garment factory workers: A narrative literature review","volume":"6","author":"Lillypet","year":"2017","journal-title":"JOHE"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12891-021-04615-9"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.35","unstructured":"Roy S . Garments industry in India: some reflections on size distribution of firms. Working paper 05\/2010, 34. Institute for Human Development; 2010.1\u201316."},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1457","DOI":"10.1097\/00007632-199807010-00006","article-title":"A population-based study of spinal pain among 35-45-year-old individuals. Prevalence, sick leave, and health care use","volume":"23","author":"Linton","year":"1998","journal-title":"Spine (Phila Pa 1976)"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/15440478.2022.2162182","article-title":"Analysis of Musculoskeletal Disorder Risk in Cotton Garment Industry Workers","volume":"20","author":"Das","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Natural Fibers"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gitajn IL , Rodriguez EK . Biomechanics of musculoskeletal injury. In: Biomechanics in applications. IntechOpen, 2011.","DOI":"10.5772\/20672"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/oemed-2014-102378"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/oem.57.7.433"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.5152\/balkanmedj.2012.069","article-title":"Work-related musculoskeletal disorders at two textile factories in Edirne, Turkey","volume":"1","author":"Berbero\u011flu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Balkan Med J"},{"key":"2025120801351494000_15.1.e085123.42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1175","DOI":"10.1007\/s11547-019-01015-x","article-title":"The application of dual-energy computed tomography in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders: a review of current concepts and applications","volume":"124","author":"Carotti","year":"2019","journal-title":"Radiol Med"}],"container-title":["BMJ Open"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-085123","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]],"date-time":"2025-12-08T09:35:33Z","timestamp":1765186533000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/bmjopen.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-085123"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]},"references-count":42,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,28]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-085123"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-085123","relation":{},"ISSN":["2044-6055","2044-6055"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2044-6055","type":"print"},{"value":"2044-6055","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]}}}