Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain and Its Association With Upper Limb Function Among Textile Designers in Lahore

Background: Textile designers are exposed to prolonged static postures, sustained cervical flexion, repetitive upper-limb activity, and extended seated work, which may increase the risk of work-related musculoskeletal pain and functional limitation. Objective: To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in different body regions and assess its association with upper-limb function among textile designers in Lahore. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study included 188 textile designers aged 18–60 years working in selected textile and fashion-design settings in Lahore. Musculoskeletal pain was assessed across the neck, shoulder, upper back, elbow, wrist, lower back, hip, knee, and ankle regions using the Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Upper-limb function was evaluated using the Upper Limb Functional Scale and categorized into score ranges of 8–20, 21–40, 41–60, and 61–80. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics and pain prevalence, while chi-square tests assessed associations between regional pain and upper-limb functional categories. Results: Pain was most prevalent in the upper back (60.1%), shoulder (59.6%), and neck (56.4%), followed by elbow (41.5%) and wrist (35.6%). Lower-body symptoms were less frequent, including knee (21.3%), hip (17.6%), lower back (14.4%), and ankle pain (13.3%). Most participants had minimal to mild upper-limb functional limitation, with 37.8% scoring 8–20 and 47.3% scoring 21–40. Elbow pain was significantly associated with upper-limb function (χ² = 13.275, p = 0.004), as was lower-back pain (χ² = 9.292, p = 0.026). Neck, shoulder, upper-back, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle pain showed no statistically significant association with upper-limb functional categories. Conclusion: Musculoskeletal pain was highly prevalent among textile designers, particularly in the upper back, shoulder, and neck regions. Elbow and lower-back pain showed significant associations with upper-limb functional status, highlighting the need for ergonomic assessment, posture education, rest breaks, and targeted preventive rehabilitation strategies in this occupational group.