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Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among general surgeons in Japan

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Abstract

Purpose

General surgeons are at high risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs), especially in their neck and back. The prevalence and risk factors for surgeons’ WRMSDs in Japan have not been well surveyed.

Methods

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey on WRMSDs was conducted among general surgeons in Japan. Surgeons were asked about the presence and degree of neck, shoulder, and back disability in relation to open and laparoscopic surgery.

Results

The questionnaire was sent to 174 general surgeons in 21 hospitals and 106 (60.9%) responded. The prevalence of WRMSDs in the last month was 65.1%, and the prevalence at least once in a lifetime was 79.2%. The rate of WRMSDs of the neck and back was higher after open surgery (44.3%, 42.5%) than after laparoscopic surgery (28.2%, 31.1%), but there was no marked difference in shoulder pain. Age was the strongest risk factor for WRMSDs, and the pain scores, prevalence of chronic pain, and rate of WRMSD-related absence from work tended to increase with age.

Conclusion

A questionnaire survey of surgeons in Japan showed that about 80% of surgeons suffer from WRMSDs. Countermeasures for WRMSDs among surgeons are urgently desired to ensure that limited numbers of surgeons work in the operating theatre throughout their career.

Clinical trial registration

Registry name: a survey of surgeons’ musculoskeletal pain associated with performing surgery. University of Tsukuba Institutional Review Board registration number: 1519.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the participants in this study.

Funding

No funding was received to conduct this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan

    Yohei Owada, Kinji Furuya, Jaejeong Kim, Shoko Moue, Yoshihiro Miyazaki, Manami Doi, Osamu Shimomura, Koichi Ogawa, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Yusuke Ohara, Yoshimasa Akashi, Katsuji Hisakura, Shinji Hashimoto, Tsuyoshi Enomoto & Tatsuya Oda

Authors
  1. Yohei Owada
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  2. Kinji Furuya
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  3. Jaejeong Kim
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  4. Shoko Moue
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  5. Yoshihiro Miyazaki
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  9. Kazuhiro Takahashi
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  12. Katsuji Hisakura
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  13. Shinji Hashimoto
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  14. Tsuyoshi Enomoto
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  15. Tatsuya Oda
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tatsuya Oda.

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University of Tsukuba Institutional Review Board registration number: 1519.

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Owada, Y., Furuya, K., Kim, J. et al. Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among general surgeons in Japan. Surg Today 52, 1423–1429 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-022-02520-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-022-02520-9

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