Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Radiographers: An Exploration of Self-reported Symptoms

Area of Science:

• Radiologic technology
• Occupational health
• Musculoskeletal disorders

Background:

• Musculoskeletal symptoms are prevalent among healthcare professionals.
• Limited research exists on specific risk factors for radiographers.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for improving radiographer well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms in radiographers credentialed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
• To identify personal, work demographic, and psychosocial risk factors associated with these symptoms.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to a subset of ARRT-credentialed radiographers.
• The survey collected data on musculoskeletal symptom experience and exposure to potential risk factors.
• Logistic regression was used for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• 81% of 635 surveyed radiographers reported experiencing pain or discomfort during patient cases.
• Key differentiating factors included poorer health perception, reduced sleep quality, working in fluoroscopy, and higher perceived workload, pressure, and stress.
• Four personal, one work demographic, and three psychosocial factors were significant.

Conclusions:

• Work-related physical and psychosocial factors are associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in radiographers.
• Findings support interventions such as job rotation in fluoroscopy, workload reduction, and promoting self-care.
• Collaboration between radiography managers and academics is encouraged to evaluate intervention effectiveness.