choroby układu mięśniowo-szkieletowego

rolnicy

postawy wobec

choroby

The complaints and diseases of the musculoskeletal system cover a wide range of health problems. The main disorders are pain and injuries of the spine, as well as diseases and injuries of the upper and lower extremities, which are a direct consequence of hard manual labour. This is one of themost prevalent health problems associated with the occupation performed, which concerns millions of workers in Europe in all sectors of economy and burdens the European employers with costs. The studies conducted by many European institutions, including the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, indicate that agriculture is one of the sectors of economy where musculoskeletal diseases are most frequent. The Eastern wall of our country, especially the Lublin Region, is a typically agricultural area. According to the data by the Main Statistical Agency, in the Lublin Region, the number of people engaged in agricultural activities and maintaining themselves on farm work is higher than the average for the whole country. This places our region in a primary position with respect to the frequency of occurrence of musculoskeletal diseases. Despite many preventive and information-advisory actions carried out in agriculture, much neglect and many shortcomings concerning work conditions and occupational safety are still observed in the rural areas. Preventive measures bring about an improvement in the working conditions of farmers; however, it is still unsatisfactory, especially on private farms. Many musculoskeletal problems can be avoided or limited by observance of work safety principles, the guidelines by specialists, and by practising adequate behaviours. Therefore, knowledge of health risk at work, concerning all the aspects which, to some degree, may concern these disorders, is indispensable. For this purpose, the Institute of Agricultural Medicine planned the studies pertaining to this scope of problems. These studies will allow the development of a more reliable programme of health education and promotion, and the prevention of diseases and risk for the musculoskeletal system in agricultural workers.