Postural Assessment and the Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders during Routine Clinical Examinations among Otolaryngologists in Isfahan City, Iran

Otolaryngologists are susceptible to various musculoskeletal disorders in the absence of proper position, because of working in various positions in offices and hospitals. The present study aimed to assess the risk of their positions whilst either standing or sitting during routine examinations, estimating the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, and determining the relationship between these disorders and their postures among otolaryngologists in Isfahan City, Iran.
In this study, photos were taken of the postures of 39 otolaryngologists in Isfahan City, during patient examination and were analyzed using Quick Exposure Check (QEC) and Load on Upper Body Assessment (LUBA) tools. Based on the risk of their postures, they were categorized into three groups of low-, medium-, and high-risk. They also completed Nordic questionnaire for the assessment of prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders.
Findings: Based on the LUBA tool, otolaryngologists encountered medium risk while examining patient's throats, and high risk during examination of ears and nasal; this risk was shown low when using QEC tool. Data resulted from Nordic questionnaire revealed that 31 people (79.4%) dealt with at least one musculoskeletal problem which was a remarkable number. On the basis of data analysis, the relation between LUBA posture scores and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was not statistically significant.
The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was remarkably high in some body regions, which might be due to unacceptable posture whilst sitting or standing during common examinations. This can be prevented by educating practitioners about the suitable postures.