Prevalence and risk factors for foot and ankle musculoskeletal disorders experienced by nurses

Abstract

BackgroundNurses are at high risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Although the prevalence of MSDs of the lower back, upper limbs, neck and shoulders have been reported previously in nursing, few studies have evaluated MSDs of the foot and ankle. This study evaluated the prevalence of foot and ankle MSDs in nurses and their relation to individual and workplace risk factors.MethodsA self-administered survey incorporating the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was distributed, over a nine-week period, to all eligible nurses (n = 416) working in a paediatric hospital in Brisbane, Australia. The prevalence of MSDs for each of the NMQ body regions was determined. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between activity-limiting foot/ankle MSDs and risk factors related to the individual (age, body mass index, number of existing foot conditions, smoking history, general physical health [SF36 Physical Component Scale], footwear features) or the workplace (level of nursing position, work location, average hours worked, hours worked in previous week, time since last break from work).ResultsA 73% response rate was achieved with 304 nurses completing surveys, of whom 276 were females (91%). Mean age of the nurses was 37 years (±10), younger than the state average of 43 years. Foot/ankle MSDs were the most prevalent conditions experienced by nurses during the preceding seven days (43.8%, 95% CI 38.2-49.4%), the second most prevalent MSDs to impair physical activity (16.7%, 95% CI 13.0-21.3%), and the third most prevalent MSD, after lower-back and neck problems, during the preceding 12 months (55.3%, 95% CI 49.6-60.7%). Of the nurse and work characteristics investigated, obesity, poor general physical health, existing foot conditions and working in the intensive care unit emerged as statistically significant (p < 0.05) independent risk factors for activity-limiting foot/ankle MSDs.ConclusionsFoot/ankle MSDs are common in paediatric hospital nurses and resulted in physical activity limitations in one out of every six nurses. We recommend targeted education programs regarding the prevention, self-management and treatment strategies for foot/ankle MSDs. Further research is needed into the impact of work location and extended shift durations on foot/ankle MSDs.

Evaluation of the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in nurses: A systematic review

“…The participants suffer a relatively high prevalence of disorders low back, knee and neck as the three most common body regions during the preceding 12 months [26,32,40].…”

“…Other factors related to MSDs were standing positions for a prolonged time and awkward postures (during transferring patients from and to bed) [12,26].…”

Aspectos que Determinam as Doenças Osteomusculares em Profissionais de Enfermagem e seus Impactos Psicossociais

“…Na Austrália, as lesões musculoesqueléticas em pé e tornozelo foram comumente relatadas. Ademais, quase 20% dos enfermeiros descreveram problemas como atividade restritiva, indicando consequências adversas laborais e domésticas 24 . A banalização da própria saúde aliada à alegação de falta de tempo, dificuldade para conseguir consultas e tratamentos médicos levam, muitas vezes, os profissionais de enfermagem a se habituarem aos sintomas musculoesqueléticos, fazendo com que estes não busquem diagnóstico e tratamento para as dores 25 .…”

Musculoskeletal disorder: Risk factors and coping strategies among nurses

“…We also identified an overall prevalence of MSD as 97%, which was higher than the prevalence of MSD reported by previous studies, conducted at different settings. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Different body sites were taken into consideration in the analysis and we observed neck, shoulder, upper back and lower back as the most prominent areas which are affected, but among the four only two body sites, the neck and shoulder demonstrated statistical significance. However, according to Yan P et al (2017) the most commonly affected regions were lower back, neck,shoulder, and back, with an annual prevalence of 62.71%, 59.77%, 49.66%, and 39.50%, respectively.…”