These jobs are the most physically intensive on your body

Powerpools
Jun 30
3 min read

Pain in the workplace: which industries are the worst affected?

No matter your occupation, discomfort or injury from daily work is a near certainty during your career—be it back pain from sitting at a desk or chronic strain from manual labour.

According to the HSE, in 2023/24, 1.7 million UK workers reported suffering from a work-related illness—comparable to recent years but still significantly above pre-pandemic levels. Of these, 543,000 cases (32%) were musculoskeletal disorders, and 776,000 (46%) were stress, depression, or anxiety. Additionally, 604,000 workers sustained non‑fatal injuries, and 138 were killed in workplace accidents. Collectively, these problems caused 33.7 million working days to be lost.

In a poll of 2,000 UK employees:

34% report experiencing workplace pain at least once a week
54% have taken time off due to work-related injury

Most frequently reported pain areas:

Lower back – 44%
Neck – 38%
Shoulders – 32%
Upper back – 19%
Hands – 17%
Head – 15%
Arms – 15%
Knees – 13%
Feet – 12%
Legs – 11%

Industry breakdown

Office Workers

47% suffer neck pain; 43% lower back pain.
43% experience discomfort weekly; just 24% have never had pain.
45% have taken time off; 7% were off for more than a month.

Factory Workers

35% report back injuries; 27% shoulder pain.
60% endure weekly pain; only 9% report none.
57% have taken time off due to work-related pain.

Construction Workers

33% neck pain; 26% arm pain.
73% suffer weekly pain—the highest across industries.
Only 6% never experience pain.
A striking 90% have taken time off; 58% missed over a week.
In 2023/24, construction recorded the highest number of workplace fatalities at 51.

Labourers

37% lower back pain; 29% neck pain.
50% experience weekly discomfort; 16% report none.
65% have taken time off; 18% off for over a month.

Retail Workers

45% suffer lower back pain; 37% neck pain.
56% endure weekly pain; 20% never experience pain.
52% have never taken time off; 10% were off longer than a month.

Emergency Services

62% report lower back pain—highest of all sectors; 44% neck pain.
43% experience weekly pain; 27% never feel pain.
58% have never taken time off.

Hospitality

57% report lower back pain; 25% neck pain.
50% suffer weekly; 24% never have pain.
51% have never taken sick leave due to work pain.

Teachers

52% lower back pain; 34% shoulder pain.
36% experience pain weekly; 32% report none.
58% have never taken time off; 12% were off for at least a month.
In 2023/24, education sector saw approximately 543,000 musculoskeletal disorder cases.

Tradespeople

61% report lower back injuries; 32% shoulder pain.
42% endure weekly pain; 25% report none.
52% have never taken time off; only 3% missed longer than a month.

Managing pain

There are effective ways to manage workplace pain:

Physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and heat therapy help improve circulation, support muscles and joints, and offer low-impact resistance.
Occupational health programs—like those implemented at Centrica—can reduce absenteeism by offering early intervention and lifestyle support.

Tracey Hudson, Executive Director at HR Dept, emphasizes:

“If you experience pain due to your work, raise the issue… Occupational Health or your GP can suggest changes… could be life-changing.”

How can a Jacuzzi® hot tub help to manage pain

A Jacuzzi® hot tub can help ease pain through a combination of hydrotherapy, heat therapy, IR and red light technology and massage, all of which are well-supported by physiotherapy research.

Ideal for chronic back or neck pain, arthritis and joint stiffness, sports injuries and stress-related tension.

Sources

· press.hse.gov.uk

· hse.gov.uk

· safesmart.co.uk

· ft.com