Prevalence and Awareness of Ergonomics and Physical Activities in Controlling Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background To assess the prevalence and awareness of ergonomics and physical activities in controlling work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among dental students, interns, and postgraduates at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University through a validated self-administered questionnaire. It was distributed among dental students from the fourth academic year to postgraduate level. Results A total of 402 students responded to the questionnaire; 337 (83.8%) reported suffering from musculoskeletal pain with 67.7% of participants did not take any measures to alleviate their symptoms and the majority reported limited physical activity. Females reported significantly higher MSD symptoms than males. Based on the location of the MSD pain, lower back pain (56.5%), neck pain (56.2%) and shoulder (50%) were the most frequently reported MSDs. There was a statistically significant difference in pain at various academic levels with undergraduate students reporting more pain than interns and postgraduate students (P= 0.009). The dental students' awareness of ergonomics and MSDs was found to be insufficient. Conclusion The prevalence of work-related MSDs is high among dental students at King Abdulaziz University, and awareness of ergonomics and MSDs among dental students is limited.