| Objective:To understand the prevalence and influencing factors of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among physiotherapists. Methods: A cross-sectional, and convenience sampled study was performed. Physiotherapists from 28 hospitals at grade three and first-class in Guangzhou took part in this study. 320 structured questionnaires were given to the target population to be completed by themselves. Results: MSD in these physiotherapists primarily located in neck (73.6%), low back (69.4), and shoulder (61.5%). Female physiotherapists' annual prevalence in shoulder MSD was higher than male (P<0.01). The annual prevalence of MSD for each part tended to increase with age, mainly in upper back and knee (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The annual prevalence of MSD tended to increase with the working years, mainly in hip and knee (P<0.05 or P<0.001). Logistic regression showed that having kids, department staff shortages, work overtime, carrying heavy objects, long time significantly bending, and often bending and turning could increase the annual prevalence of MSD in low back (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions: The most serious MSD of physiotherapists were neck, low back and shoulder pain. Personal factors such as gender, age, working years and having kids, work load factors such as harmful working positions, manual heavy lifting, and labor organization factors such as department staff shortages, work overtime were the main risk factors of MSD to the physiotherapists. |
