Types, Prevalence and Causes of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Iranian Sailors in 2020 - Cross-sectional Study

Providing data on the types, prevalence and causes of musculoskeletal injuries can be effective in designing preventive programs. The aim of this study was to determine the types, prevalence and causes of musculoskeletal injuries in Iranian sailors.

The present study is cross-sectional. The statistical population included 130 sailors from Bandar Abbas, south of Iran who was active in that area in 2020 and had at least 2 years of experience working on ships. Initially, demographic and anthropometric data (including age, height, weight, years of service and body mass index) were measured and recorded. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to determine the location of musculoskeletal injury and pain in sailors and their causes were also recorded.

The prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in Iranian sailors is 48.45% (63 people). The most common musculoskeletal injuries among sailors include low back pain 15.38%, neck pain 13.07%, knee pain 12.3% and wrist pain 7.7%. Also, the primary cause of musculoskeletal injuries in 40% of cases was accidental causes.

According to the present findings, musculoskeletal injuries have a relatively high prevalence among Iranian sailors. Therefore, it is suggested that with the identification of the causes of these injuries, medium and long-term planning for prevention and treatment should be provided.