Evaluation of the Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Dentists in Bojnourd, 2018

According to epidemiological studies in the healthcare field, the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders is increasing among dentists. Since the prevention of such disorders is crucial, the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and various physical interactions and related factors among dentists in Bojnourd.

The present study is descriptive cross-sectional. A total of 28 dentists in Bojnourd were selected by purposive sampling. The Nordic questionnaire was completed through an interview. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (V 22) using descriptive tests, Chi-square, and T-test.

The mean age and work experience of the subjects were 38.32±6.32 and 12.57±8.02 years, respectively. A study on 18 men and 14 women indicated the highest percentage of pain or discomfort in the back (75%), neck (71.4%), shoulders (60.7%), and waist (50%). The prevalence of neck and shoulder pain was higher in women (P=0.008). The Chi-square test showed that these disorders intensify with increasing age and work experience. Also, the t-test showed that individuals with BMI higher or lower than normal are more prone to musculoskeletal disorders.

A high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was observed in the neck and upper extremity. Regarding this issue, interventional ergonomics and preventive physiotherapy exercises in the workplace, training, and informing dentists about the injuries seems necessary.