A clinical study of musculoskeletal dysfunction in targets of workplace bullying

Abstract

Background

Workers exposed to bullying often report musculoskeletal symptoms. In this study we have clinically evaluated the prevalence and nature of musculoskeletal dysfunction among a group of workers exposed to bullying and studied the relationship between clinical findings and self-reported musculoskeletal and mental symptoms.

Materials and methods

In a cross-sectional study, 144 patients admitted to an outpatient clinic for victims of workplace bullying were assessed with the Global Physiotherapy Examination 52 (GPE-52), a standardised test battery examining posture, respiration, movement, muscle and skin. The patients filled in self-report questionnaires regarding musculoskeletal symptoms (MSI), anxiety and depression (The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (Impact of Events Scale revised version, IES-R).

Results

Patients victimised by bullying showed reduced flexibility, reduced ability to relax, restricted respiration and tense and painful muscles. The total GPE-52 sum-score and the main domains Movement and Muscle had significant correlations with most self-reported health variables, strongest between the subdomain Flexibility and HADS-D (r = 0.37) and HADS-A (r = 0.36).

Conclusions

Victims of bullying have clinically evident musculoskeletal dysfunctions that were further found to have a relationship with self-reported mental symptoms. Future health services for these patients should be multi-dimensional and include a bodily assessment by a physiotherapist and relevant treatment when needed.

Keywords:

• Musculoskeletal
• workplace
• bullying
• harassment
• dysfunction
• anxiety
• post-traumatic stress

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank colleague and physiotherapist Astrid Aalvik for contributing to the examination of patients, Mr. Øystein Hoprekstad for entering the data used in this study and Mr. Stein Håkon Låstad Lygre for valuable advice in handling and interpreting the data.

Author contributions

KB, NM, SE and AK have planned and carried out the study, and participated in the interpretation of the data analysis, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. JA planned and performed statistical analyses. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests. This work was completed at the Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital without any external funding.

Data availability statement

Readers who want access to data should contact the first author. Data will be made available in line with data protection procedures of the said hospital.