Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Impacts of Musculoskeletal Injuries Among Plastic Surgeons: A Systematic Review and...

Area of Science:

• Medical Specialties
• Orthopedics
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Poor ergonomics in surgery can lead to musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries.
• These injuries may cause practice modifications, early retirement, and medical errors.
• Plastic surgery subspecialties may present unique ergonomic challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the prevalence of MSK injuries among plastic surgeons.
• To determine risk factors and impacts of MSK injuries by subspecialty.
• To investigate ergonomic challenges unique to plastic surgery subspecialties.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of 5 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus).
• Inclusion of 15 studies with 3313 plastic surgeons.
• Assessment of methodological quality using Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist.

Main Results:

• Overall MSK injury prevalence was 72.0% (very low-certainty evidence).
• Aesthetic surgeons had the highest prevalence (84.3%), craniofacial surgeons the lowest (69.4%).
• Common symptoms affected the neck (47.0%), lower back (37.0%), and upper back (32.0%).

Conclusions:

• Ergonomic injuries vary by plastic surgery subspecialty.
• Specific subspecialties showed higher prevalence in certain body areas (e.g., neck, forearm/wrist/hands, lower back).
• Tailored ergonomic education is crucial for plastic surgeon health and well-being.