Frequency of musculoskeletal disorder among practicing Dentists of Lahore
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71000/jrfcw317Keywords:
Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; Ergonomics; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Prevalence; Surveys and Questionnaires.Abstract
Background: Dental practice commonly requires prolonged static or asymmetrical postures, precise repetitive upper-limb activity and sustained visual concentration, creating a substantial occupational musculoskeletal burden.
Objective: To determine the frequency and anatomical distribution of musculoskeletal symptoms among practicing dentists in Lahore, Pakistan.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over three months after synopsis approval in dental departments of government and private hospitals in Lahore. Using convenience sampling, 285 practicing dentists with at least one year of experience and a minimum clinical duty duration of six hours per day were included. Musculoskeletal symptoms were assessed with a paper-based Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 21 using frequencies and percentages; 95% confidence intervals were calculated from the reported counts for article presentation.
Results: Among 285 dentists, the most frequently reported anatomical sites for ache, pain or discomfort were the neck (155/285, 54.4%), low back (124/285, 43.5%) and wrist/hand (109/285, 38.2%), followed by the shoulder (80/285, 28.1%) and elbow (67/285, 23.5%). For the past-month symptom item, the highest frequencies were in the neck (27.4%), low back (17.5%) and wrist/hand (15.1%). Symptoms were reported to affect job or duty most often for the neck (31.6%), low back (28.1%) and wrist/hand (19.6%).
Conclusion: Musculoskeletal symptoms were frequent among practicing dentists in Lahore, with the neck, low back and wrist/hand carrying the greatest reported burden. The findings support occupational strategies emphasizing ergonomics, posture variation, work-rest organization and early recognition of musculoskeletal symptoms.
Keywords: Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; Ergonomics; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Prevalence; Surveys and Questionnaires.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Samrana Tariq, Dr. Muhammad Umar, Dr Aziz Subhani, Dr. Muhammad Asghar, Dr. Sarwat Nazir (Author)
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