Worker and Work-Related Factors Influence on Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Veterinary Surgeons

Abstract

Current literature on surgeons in human medicine provides evidence that surgeons often work in awkward positions for extended periods of time, suggesting there are significant physical ergonomic risk factors associated with the work demands of the role. These risk factors are likely also present in surgical work in veterinary medicine. In this study, 212 members of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons responded to a survey regarding various work-related activities and their experience with musculoskeletal symptoms in 10 different body regions. Across all 10 regions, reported pain increased significantly from before to after a typical day of surgery. Worker factors that were shown to be related to reported pain include gender, weight, age, and years performing surgery. Among work factors investigated, number of procedures, practice focus, and proportion of minimally invasive surgery were shown to influence reported pain. Our findings confirm that musculoskeletal symptoms are commonly experienced by veterinary surgeons.