Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 42300, Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, vikkipt@gmail.com
  • 2 1 Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences,Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus,42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia 2 Community of Research, Humanities and Quality of Life, UiTM,40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 3 Faculty of Biosciences and Medical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
  • 4 Syafiqah bt Aminudin. Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 5 Siti Hasmah bt Johari. Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences,Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus,42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
J Orthop Sci, 2015 Mar;20(2):410-7.
PMID: 25542222 DOI: 10.1007/s00776-014-0682-4

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Research has been conducted on the prevalence and physical risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among occupations such as agriculture workers, office workers, school teachers, and health care professionals. However, a paucity of research exists on the patterns and physical risk factors of WMSDs among the academicians in a higher learning institution. This study was conducted to determine the patterns and physical risk factors of WMSDs among the academicians.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 228 subjects with a mean age of participants of 32.3 ± 7.8 for a period of 1 year from December 2011 until December 2012. An extended neordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ-E) was used to assess the patterns of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The short version of the Dutch musculoskeletal questionnaire (DMQ) was used to determine the physical risk factors of WMSDs among the academicians. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi square test were used for data analysis.
RESULTS: The 1-year pattern of WMSDs among the academicians were neck pain (44.7 %), followed by shoulder pain (40.4 %), upper and lower back pain (33.3 %), and the least common region was elbow pain (3.5 %). Among 20 common physical activities in DMQ, 15 physical activities performed by the academicians in their workplace were considered as a physical risk factors for neck, shoulder, and back pain at p < 0.05.
CONCLUSION: The preliminary study demonstrated that neck pain, shoulder pain, and back pain were the most common WMSDs among the academicians in a higher learning institution.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.