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Purpose: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the main causes of health-related absenteeism. MSDs were a known problem among healthcare workers (HCWs) even before COVID-19. The pandemic, with its associated stresses and changes in working conditions, may have influenced the incidence and duration of MSDs-related sick leave (SL) among HCWs. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence and duration of MSDs-related SL among HCWs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on differences between age and gender groups., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using Slovenian national SL data on work-related MSDs within NACE Rev. 2 "Human health activities" for 2019, 2020, and 2021, categorized by gender and age., Results: The study found that older HCWs, particularly women, consistently had a higher incidence of work-related MSDs SL than their younger counterparts. However, during the pandemic, MSDs were more common among younger men, while the average duration of SL was longer among younger women. On the other hand, in older HCWs, the average SL incidence decreased during the pandemic, while the SL duration substantially increased., Conclusion: The dynamics of MSDs related SL among HCWs are complex and influenced by several factors, including the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare managers should implement tailored strategies to address MSDs-related absenteeism among specific groups of HCWs to promote a healthier workforce and ensure a resilient healthcare system during health crises., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2025 Zerbo Šporin, Kozinc, Prijon, Metličar and Šarabon.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze Slovenian data on sick leave (SL) due to the most common work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among workers in sector I "accommodation and food services activities" from the NACE Rev2 classification., Methods: We investigated both SL incidence (i.e., number of cases) and disease severity (i.e., average SL duration) by body site, gender, age and divisions within the sector. In addition, trends in SL data (difference between 2015 and 2019) were analyzed. The effect of age group, gender and division was also assessed with relative risk (RR)., Results: Female gender was associated with higher risk of MSDs in young (RR = 1.91 (1.53-2.43)) and older (RR = 2.24 (1.90-2.65)) subgroups. Older age was associated with greater SL incidence and longer SL duration, regardless of gender and division within sector I. This was also reflected in relative risk calculations between older and younger groups (females: RR = 4.43; CI = 3.75-5.01; p < 0.001; males: RR = 3.71; CI = 2.89-4.77; p < 0.001). Low back disorders were the most frequent cause for SL, while lower limb disorders tended to cause the longest average SL. The SL durations were similar across divisions within the sector, while the incidence rate tended to be higher in the "accommodation" than the "food and beverage services" division., Conclusions: Special attention needs to be paid to reducing the risk of low back disorders, which are by far the most common cause of SL, and lower limb disorders, which cause the longest SL. We recommend the implementation of countermeasures that focus on early detection and rapid treatment/recovery of MSDs in older workers.

Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common work-related health problems. As low back disorders (LBD) are the most problematic, the aim of this study was to provide an in-depth analysis of the nationwide data on sick leaves due to work-related LBDs among workers in Slovenia in 2015-2019 by gender, age and various economic activities (NACE Rev 2 classification). We retrospectively analyzed the Slovene national data for sick leave (SL) rates due to the LBDs between 2015 and 2019. The analyzed SL outcomes were (i) index of temporary disability as a diagnosis-specific loss of calendar days (all calendar days except Sundays) per employee, (ii) frequency of spells as the number of SL cases per 100 employees in one year and (iii) severity as the average duration of one absence from work due to a health condition. A high prevalence of sick leaves due to LBDs in Slovenia was present among young male workers in "mining and quarrying". In the next age group (20.0-44.9 years), LBD is most frequent in "water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities". Particular attention should be paid to ''agriculture, forestry and fishing'' which shows a large average sick leave duration and probably a more demanding course of LBDs.