Frequency of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders of Upper Limb among Dentists of Division Gujranwala

Abstract

Background: Faulty and poor posture has been a cause of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among dentists. Due to the nature of their work, they are more prone to develop upper limb MSDs in the upper limbs. Objectives: To find out the frequency of work-related musculoskeletal disorders of upper limbs among dentists of division Gujranwala. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in Gujranwala Division, Pakistan, from April 2022 to July 2022. Convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data. The study included 250 male and female dentists, aged 25-40 years, having working hours > 5 hours and with work experience of at least 1-2 years, both from the public and private sectors of the Gujranwala Division. The work-related musculoskeletal disorders were determined using Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 23. Results: Among the study participants, there were 127(50.8%) females and 123 (49.2%) males. The mean age of the participants was 32.77±6.23 years. Musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limbs were found in 231(92.2%) participants. The most common region involved were; the shoulder in 141 (56.4%), the wrist in 82 (32.2%) followed by the elbow in 8 (3.2%). Among the participants, 141(56.4%) worked in different work slots of 8-10 hours. One hundred and seventy-one participants were habitual of working in a sitting posture. Conclusion: Upper Limb Musculoskeletal disorders are highly prevalent among dentists of the Gujranwala Division with the major regions involved being the shoulder and wrist