Musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic hazards among Iranian physicians

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and ergonomic hazards and their relationship among Iranian physicians who work in teaching hospitals.

A self-administered questionnaire was provided to 405 physicians in four teaching hospitals. The questionnaire had three major parts: the first part gathered individual and work-related data, the second was a modified version of the Standardized Nordic questionnaire for musculoskeletal symptoms, and the last part evaluated the duration of exposure to ergonomic hazards at work.

Knee pain (19.8%) was the most common complaint among physicians, followed by low back (15.1%) and neck pain (9.8%). A total of 169 physicians (41.7%) reported symptoms in at least one part of their bodies. Prolonged sitting, standing, and neck flexion were the most common reported ergonomic hazards among participants. Multiple logistic regression analysis reported statistically significant associations for the outcomes of knee pain and symptoms in any part of the body with the work-related factors of years of employment and work hours per shift.

The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among physicians was low, less than other health care workers, but similar to those reported in the general population. These musculoskeletal complaints were, however, associated with traditional work-related and ergonomic factors.