<p>Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic practice among dentists in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia</p>

Abstract

Background Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) is the second most common cause of disability. MSD due to the occupation are called work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) and are common among dentists. Objective Assess the prevalence of self-reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) and to identify associated ergonomic practice among dentists practicing in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia. Methods Dentists practicing in Jeddah were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study using a self-administered survey. The survey consisted of 20 close-ended questions. The survey included questions regarding demographics, dental practice, general health status, exercising, ergonomic practice, musculoskeletal pain location, the severity of pain using a numeric pain rating scale (0–10), interventions sought, and missed work due to WMSD. Results A sample of 234 dentists participated in this study. Prevalence of WMSD was found to be 70%. The most common location for WMSD pain was in the low back (85%) and neck (84.6%). Female dentists and dentists not exercising regularly had an increased risk of WMSD. The prevalence of CTS was 9%, and its risk increased with age and practicing in the private sector. Among the dental specialties, the least to report WMSD or CTS were maxillofacial surgeons and orthodontists. The reported ergonomic practice reached as low as 24%. Conclusion Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and inadequate ergonomic practices were common. Ergonomics training intervention programs targeting dentists is suggested as a preventive measure for longer and healthier career lives.

Impact of COVID-19Quarantine on Low Back Pain Intensity, Prevalence, and Associated Risk Factors among Adult Citizens Residing in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): A Cross-Sectional Study

“…However, no significant differences were observed in back pain intensity between both genders. Although this result is consistent with the study conducted by Ferguson et al [ 35 ] among manual material handling workers in the United States, recent studies have reported a higher LBP prevalence in women [ 3 , 9 , 34 ]. Therefore, it would be very useful to clarify the real impact of the gender factor on LBP in future research.…”

“…According to this study’s results, it was also possible to verify that the most common musculoskeletal pain area was the low back, followed by the neck. This result coincides with most of the existing studies conducted in Saudi Arabia that were related to musculoskeletal disorders [ 3 , 30 , 31 , 34 ]. However, this result was slightly different from the results found by Sirajudeen et al [ 29 ] since they observed that the neck was the most common pain area, followed by the low back.…”

“…Hence, in most of these cases, the point prevalence was higher than in our study, which could be related to the burden of work, type of professional or academic activity carried out by each group, and poor posture at work [ 33 ]. Worldwide, the LBP´s point prevalence found in countries such as Canada, the United States, Sweden, Belgium, Finland, Israel, and the Netherlands ranges between 1.4 and 20.0% [ 3 ]. Therefore, the present study, and most of the studies conducted in Saudi Arabia, revealed a higher LBP point prevalence in Saudi Arabia than in foreign countries.…”

“…Worldwide, it has been estimated that the LBP prevalence ranges from 1.4 to 20.0% [ 2 ]. LBP is, in fact, the most common cause of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in certain regions [ 3 ], and it also causes significant problems in both the personal and professional lives of individuals. This includes sleeping disorders, disability, invalidity, work absenteeism, lack of productivity, and difficulties in carrying out the profession chosen by each worker [ 4 ].…”

“…As for Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of LBP has been analyzed in recent studies. Most of them were done with specific groups, and it was found that the prevalence among nurses was 80% [ 10 ], 70% in dentists [ 3 ], 73.9% in health personnel [ 11 ], 68% among female secondary school teachers [ 12 ], and 57.3% among male high school teachers [ 13 ]. In contrast, only a few epidemiological studies have been conducted that aimed to analyze the prevalence of the general population in Saudi Arabia.…”