Table 3.

Associations of occupational tasks with radiographic and symptomatic knee OA: results of logistic regression models.

Radiographic Knee OASymptomatic Knee OA
No OA Exposed, N (%)OA Exposed, N (%)Adjusted OR* (95% CI)No OA Exposed, N (%)OA Exposed, N (%)Adjusted OR* (95% CI)
10 tasks performed at longest job and no. of exposures
  Walk1245 (74.1)616 (71.1)1.01 (0.80–1.27)1420 (72.7)417 (75.4)1.46 (1.12–1.90)
  Lift > 10 lbs767 (45.7)390 (45.0)1.06 (0.86–1.31)867 (44.5)277 (50.2)**1.42 (1.13–1.80)
  Sit729 (43.4)318 (36.7)**0.86 (0.70–1.05)843 (43.2)183 (33.6)**0.72 (0.57–0.90)
  Stand1108 (66.0)575 (66.3)1.00 (0.81–1.23)1269 (65.0)400 (72.3)**1.38 (1.08–1.77)
  Bend, twist, reach1042 (62.0)529 (60.9)0.91 (0.74–1.12)1182 (60.5)364 (65.7)**1.26 (0.99–1.60)
  Squat372 (22.2)189 (21.8)1.13 (0.88–1.45)425 (21.8)129 (23.3)1.27 (0.97–1.68)
  Climb stairs397 (23.7)163 (18.8)**0.80 (0.63–1.03)445 (22.8)107 (19.4)0.96 (0.73–1.26)
  Crawl111 (6.6)65 (7.5)1.15 (0.78–1.71)126 (6.5)49 (8.8)**1.59 (1.05–2.41)
  Crouch or kneel222 (14.2)90 (11.5)0.81 (0.59–1.11)249 (13.7)63 (12.0)0.95 (0.67–1.36)
  Heavy work, standing190 (12.1)104 (13.3)1.11 (0.81–1.51)211 (11.6)82 (15.7)**1.44 (1.03–2.02)
  No. of exposures††mean = 3.3mean = 3.21.00 (0.95–1.05)mean = 3.2mean = 3.41.09 (1.03–1.15)
Lifetime exposure to 8 occupational tasks and no. of exposures
  Light work while standing > 50% of job458 (27.1)226 (25.8)0.97 (0.78–1.21)521 (26.4)159 (27.1)1.06 (0.83–1.35)
  Heavy work while standing > 50% of job320 (18.9)188 (21.5)1.13 (0.88–1.44)363 (18.3)142 (24.2)**1.32 (1.02–1.72)
  Sitting > 50% of job845 (49.9)375 (43.0)**0.86 (0.71–1.05)983 (49.8)233 (39.9)**0.73 (0.59–0.92)
  Kneeling > 50% of job203 (12.0)109 (12.5)0.98 (0.73–1.33)236 (12.0)74 (12.7)1.03 (0.74–1.44)
  Walking > 50% of job742 (43.9)282 (43.9)1.00 (0.82–1.23)845 (42.9)279 (47.8)**1.24 (0.99–1.55)
  Lifting 10 kg ≥ 10×/week692 (40.8)369 (42.2)1.18 (0.95–1.46)810 (41.0)249 (42.5)1.13 (0.89–1.44)
  Lifting 20 kg ≥ 10×/week412 (24.3)208 (23.8)0.94 (0.73–1.22)473 (23.9)145 (24.7)1.05 (0.79–1.39)
  Lifting 50 kg ≥ 10×/week147 (8.7)90 (10.3)0.82 (0.58–1.15)170 (8.6)66 (11.2)0.98 (0.67–1.43)
  No. of exposures††mean = 2.2mean = 2.50.99 (0.93–1.06)mean = 2.2mean = 2.31.03 (0.96–1.10)
  • * Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, race, body mass index, smoking (ever and current vs never), prior knee injury, and household tasks.

  • ** Significant chi-square test (p < 0.05).

  • Tasks for longest job are 0 = never, seldom, sometimes; 1 = often or always.

  • †† Excludes sitting.