Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Physical Therapists

Abstract

Specific strategies should be developed to reduce WMD in the practice of physical therapy.

Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Korean Physical Therapists

“…5% in Cromie et al 9) , 69% in Molumphy et al 16) , 67% in Campo et al 14) , 73% in Glover et al 12) , 77.1% in Nordin et al 21) , and 80.0% in Bork et al 10) . Studies of WRMD prevalence in physical therapists in different countries indicate a prevalence of 47.6% in Kuwait 19) , 53.5% in Sweden 20) , 57.5-61% in the United States 10,14) , 67.5% in the United Kingdom 12) , 71.6% in Malaysia 21) , 85.0% in Turkey 1) , 54.8-91% in Australia 9,11) , and 91.3% in Nigeria 15) . The causes of WRMD included lack of personnel, bad working environments, and lack of equipment to reduce the burden on the body.…”

“…The low back is the body part with the highest WRMD prevalence, having been reported as 26% by Salik and Ozcan 1) , 28.8% by Molumphy et al 16) , 32.0% by Alrowayeh et al 19) , 35% by West and Gardner 11) , 45.0% by Bork et al 10) , 44% by Glover et al 12) , 51.7% by Nordin et al 21) , 56.5% by Grooten et al 20) , 62.5% by Cromie et al 9) , and 69.8% by Adegoke et al 15) Shehab et al 22) observed that lifetime WRMD prevalence rate was 70% among physical therapists with low back pain patients, because physical therapists handled their patients using inappropriate body mechanics and wrong techniques. Nordin et al 21) observed that physical therapists using manual treatments experienced more stress in the spine than in the hands because they applied manual treatments in the standing position over a long time.…”

“…Work factors of WRMD, as noted by Bork et al 10) , included lifting or transferring dependent patients (25.7%), excessive numbers of daily patients (19.0%), and holding the same position for a long time or an inappropriate position (18.4%). West and Gardner 11) noted holding the same position for a long time (57.7%) and continuous working in a damaged state (50.8%).…”

“…Strategies employed by Korean physical therapists included modifying their position or the position of their patient (51.6%), using other body parts in order to apply manual treatment (51.6%), and adjusting the plinth/ bed height prior to the treatment of a patient (47.1%), similar to previously reported strategies. Bork et al 10) asserted that physical therapists who applied manual treatment had a WRMD risk that was 3.5 times higher than that of those who did not, while Robertson and Spurritt 23) noted that those with moderate to severe symptoms used electrical therapy as a protective behavior. Korean physical therapists widely use manual therapy techniques, but electrical treatment is used the least (5.7%), despite high WRMD rates.…”

“…Silverstein et al 8) observed that occupational risk factors such as repetitive movement, tasks of high intensity, and uncomfortable postures were associated with musculoskeletal disorders. Studies of industrial health workers report that physical therapists have a high prevalence of WRMD 5,9,10) . The factors affecting this high WRMD prevalence include repetitive movements; continuous bending; lifting, and transferring dependent patients; unexpected, abrupt movements of the patient; manual therapy; limited working space; lack of personnel; age; and gender 9,11) .…”