The young men weaving through city traffic to deliver food, groceries and parcels within minutes may be paying a far greater price than long working hours.
A new study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR) has found that app-based two-wheeler delivery riders are developing musculoskeletal disorders and psychological distress at an alarmingly young age, raising concerns over the hidden health costs of India's rapidly expanding gig economy.
India's gig economy now employs an estimated 1.2 crore workers, most of them motorcyclists, it is said, according to the Economic Survey 2025–26, up from 77 lakh in 2020–21. NITI Aayog projects the workforce will nearly double to 2.35 crore by 2029–30, underscoring the need for stronger occupational health and social security protections.
The study, one of the first from India to comprehensively examine both the physical and mental health of occupational two-wheeler delivery riders, found that nearly nine out of 10 riders suffered from musculoskeletal disorders, while more than four in 10 experienced psychological distress.
In a study titled "Musculoskeletal health and mental well-being of occupational two-wheeler delivery drivers from the Mumbai metropolitan region", researchers said the findings point to an emerging occupational health crisis that has so far received little policy attention despite the explosive growth of app-based delivery services across Indian cities.
Conducted by researchers Suparna Khera, Suyash Lokras, Krishnaja NP, Sunil Vilasrao Gitte from the National Institute of Public Health Training and Research (NIPHTR), Mumbai, the study assessed 111 food and grocery delivery riders aged between 18 and 40 years in Panvel, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, using internationally validated tools to evaluate musculoskeletal health and mental well-being.
Unlike previous studies that largely focused on truck drivers or commercial vehicle operators, this research specifically examined the health risks faced by app-based two-wheeler riders—an occupational group that has expanded rapidly with the growth of e-commerce and food delivery platforms.
The findings paint a worrying picture.
About 87.3 per cent of participants reported musculoskeletal problems during the previous year, while 38 per cent had experienced pain during the preceding week.
Lower back pain emerged as the most common complaint, affecting 68.5 per cent of riders, followed by pain in the upper back (51.4 per cent) and shoulders and wrists (34 per cent each).
Researchers attributed the high burden to prolonged riding in fixed postures, repeated bending and twisting, carrying heavy delivery bags and spending long hours navigating congested urban roads.
The study found that increasing age—even within this relatively young workforce—was associated with a significantly greater likelihood of chronic musculoskeletal disorders. Riders aged 31-40 years reported considerably higher rates of long-term pain than those in their twenties.
The burden also increased with the weight of deliveries carried. As the average load increased, the number of body regions affected by pain also rose significantly, suggesting that heavier delivery bags place additional strain on the spine, shoulders and upper limbs.
The typical work profile highlighted the demanding nature of the occupation.
Most participants worked more than 10 hours a day, with 91 per cent working at least six days a week. On average, riders travelled 161 kilometres daily, completed 20 to 25 deliveries and nearly 60 per cent routinely carried loads weighing 5 kg or more.
Despite these physically demanding conditions, over 80 per cent reported being satisfied with their jobs, reflecting the economic importance of gig work for many young workers.
However, the study suggests that job satisfaction may mask significant health risks.
Beyond physical ailments, researchers found that 42.3 per cent of riders experienced psychological distress.
Mental health problems were closely associated with long working hours, greater distances travelled, heavier loads and the extent of musculoskeletal pain.
Among riders experiencing psychological distress, nearly 90 per cent worked for more than 10 hours daily, while most completed deliveries throughout the week with little opportunity for rest.
Researchers suggest that constant pressure to meet delivery deadlines, negotiating heavy traffic, dealing with difficult customers and uncertainty surrounding earnings and job security may contribute to chronic stress.
Importantly, the study found that while pain alone did not necessarily result in psychological distress, riders with pain affecting multiple parts of the body were significantly more likely to report poor mental well-being.
The findings have indicated a vicious cycle in which chronic pain contributes to anxiety and sleep disturbances, which in turn aggravate physical discomfort and reduce overall quality of life.
The authors noted that the occupational hazards facing delivery riders differ from those traditionally associated with commercial drivers.
Unlike truck or bus drivers, app-based riders repeatedly mount and dismount their vehicles, lift delivery bags, climb staircases and maintain awkward riding postures for prolonged periods while working under strict time constraints.
Motorcycle riders were found to have a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders than scooter users, possibly because motorcycles require greater forward flexion of the neck and spine during prolonged riding.
Researchers said the findings assume added significance because the affected workforce is relatively young.
Persistent musculoskeletal disorders developing during the twenties and thirties may predispose workers to chronic disability, reduced productivity and long-term healthcare needs if preventive measures are not introduced early.
The study therefore calls for recognising app-based delivery personnel as an occupational group requiring dedicated health safeguards.
The authors have recommended framing regulatory guidelines for working hours, encouraging ergonomic improvements in delivery equipment, reducing excessive load carriage and introducing pre-employment and periodic health screening.
As India's gig economy continues to expand, researchers argued that occupational health protections have not kept pace with the changing nature of work.
While delivery platforms have transformed urban convenience, the study suggested that the workers powering this transformation remain vulnerable to early-onset physical disability and mental health problems.
The findings echo those of another recent nationwide survey by the NGO Janpahal, which highlighted the hazardous working conditions faced by platform-based gig workers, particularly during extreme weather. Surveying more than 1,000 platform workers across 10 metropolitan cities, the report, Occupational Safety and Health of Platform-Based Gig Workers in India, found that long working hours have become the norm in the sector.
More than half of the respondents reported working over 49 hours a week, while nearly one in four said they worked more than 70 hours weekly—far exceeding the 48-hour weekly limit prescribed under labour laws for the formal sector.
Together, the two studies underscore the urgent need to recognise gig workers as an occupational group deserving dedicated health surveillance, social protection and workplace safety regulations as India's platform economy continues to expand.
The findings assume significance at a time when the Centre has begun extending social security measures to India's rapidly expanding gig workforce. Union Labour and Employment Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya has repeatedly stated that the Government is committed to providing gig and platform workers with a "secure, dignified and better work environment", with initiatives including e-Shram registration, health coverage, insurance and other social security benefits. He has described gig workers as a vital pillar of India's digital economy and said they should receive adequate social security, healthcare and opportunities for skill development.
