Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Pakistani laparoscopic and general surgeons

Healthcare care professionals, particularly surgeons, are at significant risk of acquiring work-related musculoskeletal disorders that can lead to prolonged pain and diminish productivity. This study aimed to identify the prevalence, associated risk factors, and coping strategies for work-related musculoskeletal disorders among general and laparoscopic surgeons in Pakistan.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data from general and laparoscopic surgeons working in selected tertiary care hospitals located in Sialkot, Pakistan. The self-structured questionnaire consisted of four sections, including demographic information, musculoskeletal risk factors, work posture assessment and coping strategies. Logistic regression was used to determine associations between musculoskeletal disorders and personal and working factors, including postural demands during general and laparoscopic surgery using SPSS software 25.

Out of 171, 76% of the general surgeons and 86% of the laparoscopic surgeons reported suffering from WRMSDs within 1 year, and the 7-day prevalence was 24.5%. A total of 47.4% of the participants were also found to be at high risk or above, according to REBA scoring. Age, lifestyle, working hours, and number of surgeries performed per week were found to be significant (p value < 0.05) risk factors for WRMSDs. Assortment of coping strategies was employed, with changes in table/plinth height reported by 91.2% of the participants.

The current study revealed that surgeons have a high prevalence of developing WRMSDs. Personal factors as well as work-related risk factors were found to be significant in the development of WRMSDs. General and laparoscopic surgeons exhibited different incidences of pain among body regions. Varying degrees of coping strategies were employed, with changing table/plinth height being the most common.