Original Research Article
Year: 2021 | Month: November | Volume: 11 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 244-251
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20211129
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Pain among Dentists in Chandigarh: A Cross Sectional Study
Humanshi Abbhi1, Pradip Sarkar1, Hariharan Ramasubbu1, Sombir Singh2, Satinder Pal Singh3, Mandeep Singh Dhillon4
1Department of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
2Senior Resident, Department of Oral Health Sciences, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
3Professor of Department of Oral Health Sciences, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
4Professor and HOD of Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
Corresponding Author: Humanshi Abbhi
ABSTRACT
Background: Dental specialists are at a higher risk of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) that lead to physical disability. Musculoskeletal pain in dentists is due to constrained body postures for prolonged period of time. Limited number of studies has been done in India to check the prevalence and factors associated with the musculoskeletal pain among dentists.
Purpose: To see the prevalence and assess the intensity of musculoskeletal pain in different anatomical parts among dentists from two different institutes of Chandigarh along with identification of selected factors associated with the onset of musculoskeletal (MS) pain among them.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was made among interns, postgraduate students and faculty members from two different institutes of Chandigarh. A total of 120 members completed a questionnaire containing 24 questions. The study variables in the questionnaire were divided into 3 groups as: Socio-demographic information, ergonomic variables and work- related musculoskeletal pain.
Results: Most of the dentists (79.2%) reported musculoskeletal pain during the past 12 months. On comparing different locations of pain, the lower back region was frequently affected area (87.4%) followed by pain in neck region (83.2%). Females were more susceptible to pain than males. A significant association (p<0.05) was found between sitting posture adopted by dentists, years of practice and the MS pain. Highest prevalence was found in dentists adopting forward bent posture in sitting during work (87.3%) and those working for >15 years (90.9%).
Conclusion: The study revealed that prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was high among dentists. Higher incidence of pain was found in women and younger dentists. The lower back region was most commonly affected area followed by neck region. The study also found that musculoskeletal pain increased with increase in years of practice with significant association between them.
Key words: Musculoskeletal pain, Socio-demographic information, Ergonomic variables.