CORRELATION BETWEEN MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AND WORK RELATED POSTURES IN PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

Document Type : Original research articles

Authors

1 Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Physical Therapy, MUST University, Egypt

2 Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt

Abstract

Purpose: To study the relationship between MSDs and work related postures of
physical therapists in general hospitals of Cairo, Egypt.
Methods: Nordic Musculoskeletal
Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to survey the physical therapists’ musculoskeletal
disorders, also Ovako Working Posture Assessment System (OWAS) was applied to
evaluate, analyze and categorize the repeated work postures in 130 physical therapists.
OWAS method was processed using WinOWAS software, involving 16 work postures.
The collected data statistically analyzed using Excel and SPSS.
Results: NMQ indicated
that 72% of physical therapists complained MSDs in at least one part of the nine
determined body parts during the last 12 months. The most common disorders were lower
back pain (75%), neck (65%) and shoulder pain (58%). Standing for long periods were
very strongly correlated with lower back pain and strongly correlated with lower limbs
with r = 0.84 and 0.79 respectively. Results of OWAS classified 8 postures (59%) in
category 1 with 77 frequencies, 7 postures (35%) categorized 2 with 46 frequencies and
one posture (5%) categorized 3 with 7 frequencies.
Conclusion: The dominant prevalence
pains were in the lower back, neck and shoulders. OWAS work posture 4222 (category 3)
were highly significant with lower back and upper limbs MSDs, it was partially correlated
with neck MSDs. Meanwhile, work posture 2222 and 2221 (category 2) were significantly
correlated with lower back, upper limbs and neck MSDs.

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