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

Ronny Zenker, Maria Girbig, Janice Hegewald, Irina Gilewitsch, Mandy Wagner, Albert Nienhaus and Andreas Seidler
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Ronny Zenker: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Maria Girbig: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Janice Hegewald: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Irina Gilewitsch: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Mandy Wagner: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Albert Nienhaus: Competence Center for Epidemiology and Health Services Research for Healthcare Professionals (CVcare), Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
Andreas Seidler: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-12

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: work-related complaints; work-related diseases; occupational health; musculoskeletal complaints; musculoskeletal diseases; occupational therapists; general population (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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