scholarly journals A study on musculoskeletal complaints and working postures in pathology specialists in Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Rafeemanesh ◽  
Alireza Khooei ◽  
Shabnam Niroumand ◽  
Tina Shirzadeh

Abstract Background Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common causes of occupational injuries and disabilities among health care workers. This study investigates the relationship between musculoskeletal complaints and pathologist postures in laboratories. Method In this cross-sectional study, 40 pathologists were evaluated. MSDs in different body segments of the participants were evaluated by Nordic questionnaire. For postural analysis, 20 min film was recorded while using a microscope by subjects. Posture analysis was done by the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method and their repetitive movements were scored. The data was analyzed by SPSS Version 11.5. Results The mean age and duration of employment of subjects was 36.57 ± 7.54 years and 6.50 ± 6.30 years, respectively. Most MSDs were found in neck (65%), wrist (57.5%), upper back (50%) and lower back (47.5%). The mean RULA grand score was higher in participants with upper back and shoulder pain. A statistically significant relationship was found between the mean RULA grand, the upper back pain (P = 0.02) and the wrist pain (P = 0.003), as well as between the mean RULA B, the neck pain (P = 0.02) and the lower back pain (P = 0.05). The results showed a significant relationship between mean weekly working hours and tight (P < 0.001), wrist (p = 0.01) and ankle (P = 0.008). Conclusion This study revealed high prevalence of MSDs among the pathologists. Therefore, performing ergonomic corrective actions is essential in order to improve their physical conditions at work.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Rafeemanesh ◽  
Alireza Khoee ◽  
Shabnam Niroumand ◽  
Tina Shirzadeh

Abstract Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common causes of occupational injuries and disabilities among health care workers. This study investigates the relationship between musculoskeletal complaints and pathologist postures in laboratories.Method: In this cross-sectional study, 40 pathologists and residents were evaluated. Data was collected by Nordic questionnaire. For postural analysis, 20 minutes film was recorded while using a microscope by subjects. Posture analysis was done by the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method and their repetitive movements were scored. The data was analyzed by SPSS Version 20.Results: The mean age and duration of employment of subjects was 36.57±7.54 years and 6.50±6.30 years, respectively. Most MSDs were found in neck (65%), wrist (57.5%), upper back (50%) and lower back (47.5%). The mean RULA grand score was higher in patients with upper back and shoulder pain. A statistically significant relationship was found between the mean RULA A, the upper back pain (P=0.02) and the wrist pain (P=0.003), as well as between the mean RULA B, the neck pain (P=0.02) and the lower back pain (P=0.05). The results showed a significant relationship between duration of employment and weekly work hours.Conclusion: This study revealed high prevalence of MSDs among the pathologists. Therefore, performing ergonomic corrective actions is essential in order to improve their physical conditions at work.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-226
Author(s):  
Marcia Regina da Silva ◽  
Lucimare Ferraz ◽  
Fátima Ferretti ◽  
Cristiane Sfredo

Abstract Introduction: Flexibility is an essential component of physical aptitude that reduces the incidence of muscle distention and improves movement efficiency and posture. Objective: To analyze posterior chain flexibility and lower back pain (LBP) in farm workers from a city in western Santa Catarina state, Brazil. Methods: Quantitative and cross-sectional study conducted with 185 rural workers, average age of 44.24 (±10.83) years. The Rural Worker Health Questionnaire, containing individual issues related to work; sit and reach box, goniometer, visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry and Roland-Morris questionnaires were used to evaluate posterior chain flexibility, hamstring muscle length, pain and lumbar spine dysfunction, respectively. Flexibility was compared with the degree of dysfunction using one-way ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni post hoc test. Results: 181 (97.8%) workers reported LBP symptoms: 100% of the women and 95.2% of the men. The average Oswestry score was 7.09 (±8.25), Roland-Morris 1.22 (±1.63), and VAS 5.81 (±2.5). Average flexibility by the sit and reach test (SRT) was 23.91cm (±18.81); straight leg raise (SLR), 66° (±11.77) and popliteal angle 123.21° (±12.45). There was a significant difference in the popliteal angle (p = 0.003) and SLR (0.001) when compared with the degree of dysfunction. Women showed significant differences in all tests; however, the post hoc test showed a significant difference only in the SRT (p = 0.013), and women with minimal dysfunction had greater flexibility in relation to those with severe dysfunction. Conclusion: Self-reported LBP was severe and women with higher levels of dysfunction exhibited less posterior chain flexibility.


2020 ◽  
Vol 250 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshihiro Hagiwara ◽  
Yutaka Yabe ◽  
Takuya Sekiguchi ◽  
Haruki Momma ◽  
Masahiro Tsuchiya ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Ronny Zenker ◽  
Maria Girbig ◽  
Janice Hegewald ◽  
Irina Gilewitsch ◽  
Mandy Wagner ◽  
...  

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Forouzan Elyasi ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Hosseininejad ◽  
Parisa Islami Parkoohi ◽  
Mahsa Kamali ◽  
Marzieh Azizi ◽  
...  

Background: Occupational burnout is a psychological syndrome that occurs in response to chronic stress in the workplace. Nowadays, it is known as one of the most important consequences of occupational stress. Defense mechanisms may also affect occupational burnout. Objectives: Since burnout is an important factor influencing the productivity of nurses, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the defense mechanisms and occupational burnout among nurses in the educational hospitals of an urban area in Iran. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 318 nurses who had at least one-year of work experience in four educational hospitals in Sari city, Iran, in 2018. Sampling was performed using the proportional stratified sampling method. The data were collected by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) scale, psychological Defense Styles questionnaire (DSQ-40), and a demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics via the SPSS software V.20. Results: A total of 318 nurses were studied, 13 (4.1%) of the nurses had a burnout. The mean score of the dimension of emotional exhaustion (EE) was 17.49, in the dimension of depersonalization (DP) it was 5.42, and in the dimension of personal achievement (PA) it was 31.58. They indicated a low level of occupational burnout, and the mean scores of FE, DP, and PA subscales indicated a low level of occupational burnout. The use of more mature defense mechanisms had a significant negative correlation with the increase of the EE score (rho = -0.210, P < 0.001), but no significant relationship was reported with other aspects of burnout. Increased use of immature defense mechanisms had a direct correlation with the increase in the score of DP (rho = 0.255 and P < 0.001), but had a significant inverse relationship with the PA score (rho = -0.238 and P < 0.001) and no significant relationship with EE (P = 0.627). No significant relationship was found between the use of neurotic defense mechanisms and burnout dimensions (PEE = 0.119, PDP = 0.174, and PPA = 0.127). Conclusions: Since there is a significant relationship between defense mechanisms and occupational burnout, using the components of defense mechanisms in job interviews can lead to choosing appropriate nurses to perform different tasks in different settings, in accordance with individual and psychological characteristics. Also, teaching problem-solving skills, stress management, and useful information can improve defense mechanisms, nurses’ job performance, and patient satisfaction.


2021 ◽  

Objective: Ethical values are moral values that are necessary in situations involving contradictions or the awareness of one’s own role and responsibilities in the existing situation. It is predicted that professional anxiety may affect the tendency of an individual related to ethical values. For this reason, this study aimed to analyze the effects of occupational anxiety in paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMT) on their levels of tendency towards ethical values. The descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of paramedics and emergency medical technicians (n = 411). The data were collected by using a Personal Information Form, the Occupational Anxiety Scale for Emergency Healthcare Professionals and the Tendency towards Ethical Values Scale. Occupational anxiety levels (91.57 ± 13.09) and levels of tendency towards ethical values (72.50 ± 8.21) were found to be high in the paramedics and emergency medical technicians. A statistically significant relationship was found between the mean scores of the participants on the Occupational Anxiety Scale and their sociodemographic characteristics (gender, year of service, weekly working hours, willing choice of occupation, occupational satisfaction) (p < 0.05). Additionally, a statistically significant relationship was determined between the participants’ education levels and their mean scores on the Tendency towards Ethical Values scale (p < 0.05). In the study, it was found that as occupational anxiety increased, the tendency to ethical values increased (p < 0.001). As the levels of occupational anxiety in the paramedics and emergency medical technicians increased, their levels of tendency towards ethical values also increased.


Author(s):  
Madiha Ijaz ◽  
Muhammad Akram ◽  
Sajid Rashid Ahmad ◽  
Kamran Mirza ◽  
Falaq Ali Nadeem ◽  
...  

There is not enough data available on occupational health and safety issues of underground coal miners in Pakistan. This study focuses on spinal disorders in association with personal and occupational factors. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used for a cross-sectional study of 260 workers of 20 mines located in four districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Regression models were created for upper back pain and lower back pain of workers whose mean age is 19.8 years (±SD 1.47). Results identify the coal cutting as the most harmful work with odds ratios (ORs) 13.06 (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.7–21.5) for lower back pain and 11.2 (95% CI 3.5–19.4) for upper back pain in participants. Those with greater years of work experience had higher odds of upper back pain (2.4, 95% CI 1.4–3.5) and lower back pain (3.3, 95% CI 1.1–4.4). Number of repetitions (mean value 25.85/minute with ±SD 9.48) are also significant for spinal disorder with ORs of 4.3 (95% CI 3.2–7.4) for lower back and 1.3 (95% CI 1.0–2.4) for upper back. Many other occupational and personal factors are positively associated with the back pain in underground coal mines workers, requiring immediate ergonomic intervention.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. Abledu ◽  
E. B. Offei ◽  
G. K. Abledu

Background. There is a lack of epidemiological data on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among occupational drivers in Ghana. The present study seeks to estimate the prevalence, body distribution, and occupational and personal determinants of MSDs in a sample of taxi drivers in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana. Methods. A total of 210 participants were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. All the participants were evaluated by using a semistructured questionnaire and the standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire. Results. The estimated prevalence of MSDs was 70.5%. The prevalence of the various MSD domains was as follows: lower back pain (34.3%), upper back pain (16.7%), neck pain (15.2%), shoulder pain (11.0%), knee pain (10.0%), hip/thigh pain (2.9%), elbow pain (4.8%), ankle/feet pain (2.4%), and wrist/hand pain (1.9%). Multiple logistic regression analysis of the data showed that participants who were employee drivers, drove taxi more than 12 hours per day or at least 5 days per week, perceived their job as stressful, and were dissatisfied with their job were at a greater risk of developing MSDs. Conclusions. These findings call for preventive strategies and safety guidelines in order to reduce the incidence of MSDs among urban taxi drivers in Ghana.


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