Impact of workplace conflicts and rivalry on low back and neck pain: a cross-sectional study from Latvia

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP) are major public health concerns and leading causes of disability worldwide. While workplace psychosocial factors have been identified as risk factors, the role of workplace conflicts and rivalry remains underexplored. This study examines the association between hierarchical workplace conflicts, rivalry, and the prevalence of LBP and NP among Latvian employees working with computers.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Work Conditions and Risks in Latvia 2019-2021 survey, which included 1,313 employees who worked with computers for more than two hours per day. Workplace psychosocial factors, including conflicts with managers, coworkers, worker groups, and clients, as well as workplace rivalry, were assessed. Binomial logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age, gender, and education.

RESULTS: Workplace conflicts were significantly associated with increased odds of LBP and NP. Conflicts with managers increased the odds of LBP (aOR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.12-2.00) and NP (aOR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.06-2.32). Employees experiencing conflicts with coworkers (aOR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.25-2.22), clients (aOR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.07-1.93), and rivalry (aOR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.01-1.84) also had significantly higher odds of LBP.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight workplace conflicts and rivalry as important psychosocial risk factors for LBP and NP. Addressing these factors through workplace interventions and leadership strategies could contribute to musculoskeletal health promotion.