WORK-RELATED THUMB PAIN AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG MANUAL PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To find out the number of work-related thumb pain and its associated risk factors and their preferences to treat among manual physiotherapists.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study used a modified self-administered questionnaire among manual physiotherapists in the government and private hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. Sixty physiotherapists were recruited using simple consecutive sampling. Data was analyzed through SPPS v.21.0.
RESULTS: Out of 60 physiotherapists, 35 (58.3%) were males. Majority (n=43; 71.6%) had age <30 years. Thirty-seven (61.7%) participants had work experience of 1-5 years and 16.7% (n=10/60) worked for >45 hours per week. Out of 33 (55%) physiotherapists with work-related painful thumbs, 75.8% (n=25/33) had work experience of 1-5 years and 24.24% (n=8/33) worked for >45 hours per week. About 55% (n=33/60) of all physiotherapists and 52% (n=17/33) of those with painful thumbs had no preventive information. Hand-position B was common in all physiotherapists (n=36/60; 60%) and in those with painful thumbs (n=21/33: 64%). Almost 97% (n=32/33) of physiotherapists with painful thumbs were right-handed. Interphalangeal joint was the most affected joint (n=10/33; 30.3%) and affected thumb was dominant in nature in 84.8% (n=28/33) cases. Trigger point therapy (n=7; 11.7%) was a major cause to provoke symptoms. Stabilization exercise was found to be most satisfying treatment (n=6/9; 66.67%).
CONCLUSION: A high percentage of work-related thumb pain was recorded among the manual physiotherapists of Lahore. Most of them suffer from work-related pain due to the execution of manual therapy techniques, while stabilization exercise is the most satisfied therapy for thumb pain among them.
Article Details
Work published in KMUJ is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online
(e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
References
World Health Organization (WHO). Identification and control of work-related diseases: report of a WHO expert committee [meeting held in Geneva from 28 November to 2 December 1983]: World Health Organization;1985. [Accessed on: August 12, 2019]. Available from URL: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/40176.
Milhem M, Kalichman L, Ezra D, Alperovitch-Najenson D. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among physical therapists: A comprehensive narrative review. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(5):735-47. DOI: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00620.
Barnes R, Colyn H, Moolman C, Roux Z, Shabort D, Yzel M, et al. The lifetime prevalence of work-related thumb and wrist pain among physiotherapists in Bloemfontein. Occup Health South Africa 2011;17(4):16-22.
Hu MT, Hsu AT, Lin SW, Su FC. Effect of general flexibility on thumb-tip force generation - implication for mobilization and manipulation. Man Ther 2009;14(5):490-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2008.10.003
Gupta S, Michelsen-Jost H. Anatomy and function of the thenar muscles. Hand Clin. 2012;28(1):1-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.hcl.2011.09.006.
Muruganantham B, Nayak B, Dave D, Kotia P. Work related musculoskeletal disorders among Indian physiotherapists. Physiotherapists. Physiotherapy 2015 May 1;101:e1059-60. DOI: 10.1016/j.physio.2015.03.1941
Yaseen A, Yaseen H, Yaseen A. Work related thumb pain, its prevalence, risk factors and prevention among physical therapists. Int J Endorsing Health Sci Res 2019;7(1).1-7. DOI: 10.29052/IJEHSR.v7.i1.2019.01-10
Wajon A, Ada L. Prevalence of thumb pain in physical therapists practicing spinal manipulative therapy. J Hand Ther 2003;16(3):237-44. DOI: 10.1016/s0894-1130(03)00039-5.
Mubeen M, Ans M, Ayaz S, Mohiuddin E, Tufail A, Mubeen F, et al. The Frequency of Thumb Pain Among Physiotherapists Practicing Spinal Manual Therapy in Lahore, Pakistan. Pak J Med Biol Sci 2018;2(1):27-31.
Tobias JH, Deere K, Palmer S, Clark EM, Clinch J. Joint hypermobility is a risk factor for musculoskeletal pain during adolescence: findings of a prospective cohort study. Arthritis Rheum 2013;65(4):1107-15. DOI: 10.1002/art.37836
Van de Velde K, Cattrysse E. Work-related thumb pain in physiotherapists: Prevalence, risk factors and prevention, an observational study. Int J Physiother 2013;3(4):145-53.
Darragh AR, Huddleston W, King P. Work-related musculoskeletal injuries and disorders among occupational and physical therapists. Am J Occup Ther 2009;63(3):351-62. DOI: 10.5014/ajot.63.3.351.
Jenkins H, Myezwa H. Work-related thumb disorders in South African physiotherapists treating musculoskeletal conditions using manual therapy techniques. S Afr J Physiother 2015;71(1):249. DOI: 10.4102/sajp.v71i1.249.
Campo M, Weiser S, Koenig KL, Nordin M. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in physical therapists: a prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up. Phys Ther 2008;88(5):608-19. DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20070127
Darragh AR, Campo M, King P. Work-related activities associated with injury in occupational and physical therapists. Work 2012;42(3):373-84. DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1430
Grooten WJ, Wernstedt P, Campo M. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in female Swedish physical therapists with more than 15 years of job experience: prevalence and associations with work exposures. Physiother Theory Pract 2011;27(3):213-22. DOI: 10.3109/09593985.2010.481323
Hu MT, Su FC, Hsu AT. Effect of prior experience and task stability on the intrinsic muscle activity of the thumb. Man Ther 2014;19(5):484-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2014.05.003
Rossettini G, Rondoni A, Schiavetti I, Tezza S, Testa M. Prevalence and risk factors of thumb pain in Italian manual therapists: An observational cross-sectional study. Work 2016;54(1):159-69. DOI: 10.3233/WOR-162289
Walkeden S, Walker KM. Perceptions of physiotherapists about their role in health promotion at an acute hospital: a qualitative study. Physiotherapy 2015;101(2):226-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.physio.2014.06.005
Walsh T, Delahunt E, McCarthy Persson U. Effects of taping on thumb alignment and force application during PA mobilisations. Man Ther 2011;16(3):264-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2010.11.006.
Wajon A, Ada L, Refshauge K. Work-related thumb pain in physiotherapists is associated with thumb alignment during performance of PA pressures. Man Ther 2007;12(1):12-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2005.09.003
Snodgrass SJ, Rivett DA, Chiarelli P, Bates AM, Rowe LJ. Factors related to thumb pain in physiotherapists. Aust J Physiother 2003;49(4):243-50. DOI: 10.1016/s0004-9514(14)60140-9.
Dsouza S, Mathew A, KU DK. Work related musculoskeletal disorders in physiotherapist; prevalence and associated factors: A review of literature. Int J Health Sci Educ 2016;6(6).344-51
Anyfantis ID, Biska A. Musculoskeletal disorders among greek physiotherapists: traditional and emerging risk factors. Saf Health Work 2018;9(3):314-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2017.09.003.
McLeod GA, Murphy M, Dlabik B. Work-related musculoskeletal injuries among Australian osteopaths: A preliminary investigation. International J Osteopath Med 2018;27(2018):14-22. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijosm.2017.11.003.