Relationship between occupational and physical activity with varicocele

Background: Varicocele is the most common correctable cause of infertility in males. Objectives: This study is designed to evaluate the correlation between occupational and physical activities with 6 incidence and severity of varicocele. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on patients with varicocele in a tertiary referral center in Iran. The International Physical Activity Score Questionnaire (IPAQ) was utilized to evaluate physical activity. Furthermore, the occupational status was assessed using 10 a standard checklist created by an occupational medicine specialist. Results: 169 patients with a mean age of 29.1 ± 7.3 years were enrolled. Grade 1 varicocele was found in 49.7% of the patients, followed by grade 2 (47.9%), and grade 3 (2.4%). There was no association between varicocele grade and fertility status, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking. 14 There was a significant difference in patients' varicocele grade between low, moderate, and high15 intensity occupations, indicating that the majority of patients with low and moderate-intensity occupations had grade 1 varicocele, whereas most of the patients with high-intensity occupations had grade 2 varicocele. There was a negative correlation between varicocele grade and exercise. 18 On the other hand, there were positive correlations between varicocele grade and squatting, pulling 19 objects, and climbing stairs. Conclusion: The intensity of occupational activity was associated with the severity of varicocele, and patients with high-intensity occupations had higher grades of varicocele. Physical activities such as squatting, pulling objects, and climbing stairs increase the grade of varicocele, while exercise reduces the grade of varicocele.