Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Iranian orthotists and prosthetists: A study on work-related quality of life.

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal injuries are prevalent globally and can impact both work efficiency and the quality of services offered to patients.

Objectives: This study investigated the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Iranian orthotists and prosthetists and its relationship with work-related quality of life.

Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, the Persian versions of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL) scale were used to identify disorders of different body parts and occupational quality of life. A group of 263 orthotists and prosthetists were invited to complete the questionnaires using a simple random sampling method. The data from 188 respondents were analyzed. The association between WRQoL and the following variables: gender, work experience, age, presence of musculoskeletal disorder, and income level, was assessed using Spearman's rho correlation coefficient.

Findings: There was an 82% prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among the participants. The most common areas involved were the lower back (35%) and neck (28%). There was a statistically significant relationship between gender (r_s (188) = 0.16, p = 0.031) and weight (r_s (188) = 0.15, p = 0.045) and work-related musculoskeletal disorders, however, the strength of the correlation was very small. Moreover, the WRQoL had a statistically significant but small to negligible relationship with gender (r_s (188) = 0.17, p = 0.016), work experience (r_s (188) = 0.18, p = 0.011), age (r_s (188) = 0.15, p = 0.039), and income (r_s (178) = 0.17, p = 0.025). There was no significant relationship between work-related musculoskeletal disorders and the total score of WRQoL scale.

Conclusions: While the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is high among Iranian orthotists and prosthetists, the average WRQoL presents an opportunity for improvement. The findings indicate associations between work-related disorders and factors such as gender, work experience, age, and income, emphasizing the need for plans to improve working conditions and prevent these disorders. Conducting ergonomic assessments of workstations, increasing employee income, and implementing training programs that focus on proper lifting techniques, posture, and the use of ergonomic tools may help reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders in orthotists and prosthetists.