Musculoskeletal Complaints in Occupational Therapists Compared to the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Germany.
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.
['Zenker|Ronny|R|', 'Girbig|Maria|M|0000-0002-9300-3969', 'Hegewald|Janice|J|0000-0003-3388-161X', 'Gilewitsch|Irina|I|', 'Wagner|Mandy|M|', 'Nienhaus|Albert|A|', 'Seidler|Andreas|A|']
D000328:Adult D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005260:Female D005858:Germany D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases D009784:Occupational Diseases D000072087:Occupational Therapists D015995:Prevalence D012307:Risk Factors D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
musculoskeletal complaints occupational therapists general population musculoskeletal diseases occupational health work-related complaints work-related diseases