Physical job demands and related health complaints among surgeons

M M Ruitenburg,M H W Frings-Dresen,J K Sluiter

doi:10.1007/s00420-012-0763-7

M M Ruitenburg, M H W Frings-Dresen + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-012-0763-7

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Abstract

PurposeSurgeons’ poor physical health and high physical job demands might threaten good quality of care. We aimed to compare the prevalence of physical complaints of surgeons, their physical work ability and the physical job demands of surgeons with that of other hospital physicians.MethodsAll medical doctors (n = 958) of one academic medical center were invited to complete the online questionnaire to assess the physical work ability and the prevalence of regional musculoskeletal complaints. A purposive sample of 44 surgeons and 82 other hospital physicians were systematically observed during work to quantify the physical job demands for an average working day.ResultsMore surgeons found their work to be physically strenuous (41 vs. 13 %, p < .000) and more were bothered by working in uncomfortable or exhausting postures (73 vs. 27 %, p < .001). Both groups reported that most of their physical complaints were in the neck (39 and 32 %) and arm regions (36 and 27 %). The majority of surgeons (86 %) and other hospital physicians (79 %) experienced difficulties coping with their job demands because of their physical state once a month or less. Compared with other hospital physicians, surgeons stand longer (4 vs. 3 h, p = .004) and perform fine repetitive movements longer (80 vs. 3 min, p < .001) during an average working day.ConclusionsExposure to several physical job demands that are perceived as uncomfortable and exhausting and the presence of physical health complaints reduce surgeons’ work functioning.

Highlights

Due to an aging society and a declining younger workforce, surgeons will have to work until old age
We aimed to compare the prevalence of physical complaints of surgeons, their physical work ability and the physical job demands of surgeons with that of other hospital physicians
A purposive sample of 44 surgeons and 82 other hospital physicians were systematically observed during work to quantify the physical job demands for an average working day

Summary

Introduction

Due to an aging society and a declining younger workforce, surgeons will have to work until old age. No attempts have been made to quantify the physical work demands that surgeons experience during an average workday, several studies have explored the physical demands of specific general and laparoscopic procedures (Kant et al 1992; Berguer et al 1997; Van Veelen et al 2004). These studies have indicated that performing specific types of surgery can put intense physical strain on surgeons. Surgery can require long-term, fixed low-back postures while performing very precise movements, resulting in awkward positioning of the arms, hands and fingers, which can be categorized as mild-to-moderate

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