Occupational hand injuries: a current review of the prevalence and proposed prevention strategies for physical therapists and similar healthcare professionals

Gyer, Giles; Michael, Jimmy; Inklebarger, James

doi:10.1016/j.joim.2018.02.003

Cited by 22 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Similar to organizational, industrywide, and legislative policies developed in other healthcare professions, these policies can directly address the high prevalence of musculoskeletal health conditions among MTs and may subsequently reduce attrition and turnover. [60][61][62][63][64] Time was the consistent barrier associated with not implementing self-care practices, but when identified as a facilitator, it was also a strong predictor of implementing more self-care practices. However, as long as the financial pressures experienced by MTs to work longer hours persist, along with attitudes that deemphasize safety in the workplace, addressing time-related factors alone will likely have limited efficacy in reducing musculoskeletal conditions among MTs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing Injury Prevention Practices by Massage Therapists

Friedman

Madigan

Cambron

2021

Journal of Occupational &Amp; Environmental Medicine

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Objective: Massage therapy involves pervasive ergonomic hazards with the majority of massage therapists (MTs) experiencing adverse musculoskeletal health issues. A variety of barriers and facilitators exist that can impact the efficacy of safety programs. Methods: A longitudinal study to characterize individual and organizational barriers and facilitators that influence the implementation of self-care techniques designed to reduce musculoskeletal health issues. Results: MTs who reported time as abarrier implemented 0.9 fewer selfcare items despite wanting to make these changes (P ¼ 0.003) and 1.4 fewer self-care items when management was identified as a barrier (P < 0.001). Almost 20% of the MTs reported switching jobs which was associated with implementing 1.1 fewer self-care items (P ¼ 0.002). Conclusions: Our findings show that organizational factors plays a critical role in workplace safety which can be used to improve working conditions faced by MTs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing Injury Prevention Practices by Massage Therapists

Friedman

Madigan

Cambron

2021

Journal of Occupational &Amp; Environmental Medicine

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“…Thus, determining work-related exposures and risk factors serves as the foundation for developing suitable preventive measures for occupational therapists and similar professional groups. Previous studies that dealt with hand or thumb complaints of therapists, recommend for example, offering ergonomic training with a focus on the correct execution of manual techniques, the use of aids and equipment, or the reduction of working hours using manual techniques [40,41].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Musculoskeletal Complaints in Occupational Therapists Compared to the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Germany

Zenker

Girbig

Hegewald

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Occupational therapists (OTs) are exposed to physical factors at work, which can lead to an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Most studies examining musculoskeletal complaints in OT report that the neck, shoulders, and lower back are most often afflicted. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of work as an OT (focusing on specific work tasks) on specific musculoskeletal complaints compared to the general working population. A cross-sectional study involving a self-administered standardized questionnaire was conducted from January until October 2015 in Germany. In OT and the comparison group, the highest 12-month prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders were observed for the lower back, the neck, and the shoulders. In contrast, elevated prevalence ratios (PR) were found for OT in the thumbs (PR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.9–3.8), the wrists (PR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.1–1.8), and the elbows (PR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.0–2.2). OTs were particularly exposed to high exertion hand activity and several stressful postures at work. In conclusion, OTs seem to be at risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal complaints in the thumbs, wrists, and elbows. Preventive measures should help to reduce the exposures caused by highly repetitive and forceful hand activities.

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“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Many studies have emphasized some DC work activities as being labor-intensive 10 and repetitive 9,11 such that injury-related complaints involve cumulative trauma, 9 chronic overuse, 8 or ''body stressing''. 12 Some studies of work-related injuries for physical therapists 13,14 and osteopaths 12,15 have reported similar complaints and causative factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Mechanical properties of a thoracic spine mannequin with variable stiffness control*

Owens¹,

Hosek²,

Russell³

2020

Journal of Chiropractic Education

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Objective To test the posterior-to-anterior stiffness (PAS) of a new thoracic spine training simulator under different conditions of “fixation.” Methods We constructed a thoracic spine model using plastic bones and ribs mounted in a wooden box, with skin and soft tissue simulated by layers of silicone and foam. The spine segment could be stiffened with tension applied to cords running through the vertebrae and ribs. We tested PAS at 2 tension levels using a custom-built device to apply repetitive loads at the T6 spinous process (SP) and over adjacent soft tissue (TP) while measuring load and displacement. Stiffness was the slope of the force-displacement curve from 55 to 75 N. Results Stiffness in the unconstrained (zero tension) condition over the SP averaged 11.98 N/mm and 6.72 N/mm over the TP. With tension applied, SP stiffness increased to 14.56 N/mm, and TP decreased to 6.15 N/mm. Conclusion Thoracic model compliance was similar to that reported for humans. The tension control system increased stiffness by 21.3% only over the SP. Stiffness over the TP was dominated by the lower stiffness of the thicker foam layer and did not change. The mannequin with these properties may be suitable for use in manual training of adjusting or PAS testing skills.

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Occupational hand injuries: a current review of the prevalence and proposed prevention strategies for physical therapists and similar healthcare professionals

Cited by 22 publications

References 40 publications

Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing Injury Prevention Practices by Massage Therapists

Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing Injury Prevention Practices by Massage Therapists

Musculoskeletal Complaints in Occupational Therapists Compared to the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Germany

Mechanical properties of a thoracic spine mannequin with variable stiffness control*

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