Prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Pain Among Plastic Surgeons: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Work-related musculoskeletal pain (MSP) represents a significant occupational hazard among plastic surgeons due to prolonged static postures, repetitive micro-movements, and reliance on magnification tools. Despite increasing recognition, comprehensive prevalence data remain limited. This meta-analysis assesses the prevalence of work-related prevalence of MSP among plastic surgeons.

The PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were systematically searched using relevant keywords from inception to March 31, 2024. A total of 11 studies that met predefined selection criteria were included in this meta-analysis. We conducted a meta-analysis of prevalence using MetaXL software (version 5.3). The pooled prevalence was estimated using the double arcsine transformation with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) utilizing the random effects model. The I² and χ² statistics were employed to evaluate interstudy heterogeneity. A heterogeneity of I² > 50% was deemed significant.

A total of 11 studies involving 3056 plastic surgeons were included, with most of the participants from the microsurgery subspecialty (n = 1539). The pooled prevalence of 12-month work-related MSP among plastic surgeons was 90% [95% CI: 78%-98%], 66% [95% CI: 52%-79%] among male plastic surgeons, and 32% [95% CI: 19%-45%] among female plastic surgeons. The pooled prevalence of 12-month neck pain among plastic surgeons was 42% [95% CI: 20%-65%], with back pain at 47% [95% CI: 21%-74%] and shoulder pain at 29% [95% CI: 12%-50%].

MSP prevalence among plastic surgeons is exceptionally high, representing a critical occupational health issue. The high heterogeneity and potential publication bias require cautious interpretation, but the findings consistently indicate urgent need for ergonomic interventions and institutional support to preserve surgical workforce sustainability.