Prevalence of Thumb Pain Among Physiotherapists Perform Manual Techniques During Clinical Practice

Abstract

Th u m b p a i n a m o n g t h e physiotherapists is common occupational hazards. The physiotherapists working in their fields perform repetitively manual techniques, massage, mobilization and glides etc. This occupation needs tofind out the number of physiotherapists having thumb pain due to manual work they perform during clinicalpractice in different rehabilitation centers. Objective: To determine the frequency of thumb pain among physiotherapists perform manual techniques in clinical practice; a cross sectional study Methodology: A cross-sectional study design with convenient sampling technique was used, with sample size 190 to determine the frequency of thumbpain among physiotherapists in Lahore and data was analyzed by SPSS, mean and standard deviation wascalculated for the quantitative variable while qualitative variable was presented in the form of frequency and percentage.Results: In the present study a self-made questionnaire was distributed among 190 physiotherapists. Among 190 participants 58(30.5%)were male and 132(69.5%) were Females. 40(21.1%) felt pain while performing ischemic pressure release from thumb. 38(20.0%) felt pain while giving massage. 12(6.3%) felt pain while holding an objectbetween thumb and index finger. 2(1.1%) felt pain in circumduction. (5.3%) felt pain while making snuff box. 24(12.6%) felt pain in isometric exercises of thumb. 27(14.2%) felt pain in hyper flexion at DIP. 17(8.9%) felt pain in hyper flexion at PIP. 51(26.8%) rated 3 pain and 15(7.9%) rate 5 pain on VAS. Conclusions: Study concluded that frequency of thumb pain among physiotherapists working in different hospitals of Lahore was found to be 35.26%. This thumb pain was due to their professional techniques including, manual therapy, ischemic pressure release, massage, mobilization, and gliding etc.