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Musculoskeletal pain and its correlates among secondary school female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia

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Background and objectives Musculoskeletal pain is considered to be one of the most prevalent occupational health problems in the working environment. School teachers are at significant risk of developing this pain. The objective of this study is to assess musculoskeletal pain and its correlates among secondary school female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 254 secondary school female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was utilized in the present study to collect the required data. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS program, version 21. Results The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among secondary school female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia was 68.50%. The main sites of musculoskeletal pain were low back (68.4%), knee (58.6%), shoulder (47.7%), neck (45.4%), elbow (23.6%), and wrist (14.4%). Nearly 70% of the teachers had musculoskeletal pain in various sites. Days of absenteeism per month because of musculoskeletal pain were one to five days among 89.7% of the teachers. Regarding the severity of musculoskeletal pain, 64.4% had non-disabling pain and 35.6% had disabling pain. Factors that showed a significant relationship with disabling musculoskeletal pain were age (p = 0.013), marital status (p = 0.043), practicing exercise (p = 0.008), years of teaching (p = 0.020), daily hours of working (p = 0.039), number of classes per week (p = 0.013), and comfortableness of school furniture (p = 0.009). Logistic regression analysis showed that the significant predictors of disabling musculoskeletal pain were age more than 40 years [odds ratio (OR): 2.08; confidence interval (CI): 1.16–3.71], not practicing exercise (OR: 3.19; CI: 1.29–7.88), more than ten years of teaching (OR: 2.07; CI: 1.12–3.84), and non-comfortableness of school furniture (OR: 2.16; CI: 1.21–3.88). Conclusion Secondary school female teachers showed a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in most anatomic sites, such as low back, knee, shoulder, neck, elbow, and wrist. Significant predictors of disabling musculoskeletal pain were age more than 40 years, not practicing exercise, more than ten years of teaching, and non-comfortableness of school furniture.
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Musculoskeletal pain and its correlates among secondary school
female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
Doaa M. Abdel-Salam
1,2
&Alanoud S. Almuhaisen
3
&Rahaf A. Alsubiti
3
&Nouf F. Aldhuwayhi
3
&Faridah S. Almotairi
3
&
Shikhah M. Alzayed
3
&Farah F. Bakri
3
Received: 27 May 2019 /Accepted: 17 July 2019
#The Author(s) 2019
Abstract
Background and objectives Musculoskeletal pain is considered to be one of the most prevalent occupational health problems in
the working environment. School teachers are at significant risk of developing this pain. The objective of this study is to assess
musculoskeletal pain and its correlates among secondary school female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia.
Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 254 secondary school female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi
Arabia. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was utilized in the present study to collect the required data. Data analysis
was performed using the SPSS program, version 21.
Results The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among secondary school female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
was 68.50%. The main sites of musculoskeletal pain were low back (68.4%), knee (58.6%), shoulder (47.7%), neck
(45.4%), elbow (23.6%), and wrist (14.4%). Nearly 70% of the teachers had musculoskeletal pain in various sites. Days
of absenteeism per month because of musculoskeletal pain were one to five days among 89.7% of the teachers. Regarding
the severity of musculoskeletal pain, 64.4% had non-disabling pain and 35.6% had disabling pain. Factors that showed a
significant relationship with disabling musculoskeletal pain were age (p= 0.013), marital status (p= 0.043), practicing
exercise (p= 0.008), years of teaching (p= 0.020), daily hours of working (p= 0.039), number of classes per week (p=
0.013), and comfortableness of school furniture (p= 0.009). Logistic regression analysis showed that the significant
predictors of disabling musculoskeletal pain were age more than 40 years [odds ratio (OR): 2.08; confidence interval
(CI): 1.163.71], not practicing exercise (OR: 3.19; CI: 1.297.88), more than ten years of teaching (OR: 2.07; CI: 1.12
3.84), and non-comfortableness of school furniture (OR: 2.16; CI: 1.213.88).
Conclusion Secondary school female teachers showed a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in most anatomic sites, such as
low back, knee, shoulder, neck, elbow, and wrist. Significant predictors of disabling musculoskeletal pain were age more than 40
years, not practicing exercise, more than ten years of teaching, and non-comfortableness of school furniture.
Keywords Musculoskeletal pain .Secondary school teachers .Saudi Arabia
Introduction
Musculoskeletal pain appears to be one of the most wide-
spread occupational health-related issues in the teaching
profession (Erick and Smith 2014a). It involves a broad
area of degenerative and inflammatory conditions affect-
ing the joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and
nerves, which may be triggered by the work circum-
stances of the affected persons (Punnett and Wegman
2004). School teachers generally have been shown, rela-
tive to other occupational groups, to record high preva-
lence rates of musculoskeletal pain of between 40%
(Cardoso et al. 2009) and 79% (Darwish and Al-Zuhair
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article
(https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-019-01127-8) contains supplementary
material, which is available to authorized users.
*Doaa M. Abdel-Salam
dabdelsalam@ju.edu.sa; doodyas2004@yahoo.com
1
Family and Community Medicine Department, College of Medicine,
Jouf University, Aljouf 42421, Saudi Arabia
2
Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of
Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
3
Medical student, College of Medicine, Jouf University,
Aljouf 42421, Saudi Arabia
Journal of Public Health: From Theory to Practice
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-019-01127-8
2013). The workload of school teachers includes many
duties, such as teaching students, preparing lessons,
evaluating studentshomework, and extracurricular ac-
tivities (Chong and Chan 2010). As a result of these
extensive duties, school teachers may have physical
and mental health problems. Musculoskeletal pain is
the main reason for absenteeism and early retirement
among school teachers (Maguire and OConnell 2007).
The most frequently encountered sites of musculoskele-
tal pain among school teachers were shoulder, neck, and
low back (Abdulmonem et al. 2014).Theliteraturere-
veals that the risk factors of musculoskeletal pain are
numerous (Erick and Smith 2011). Occurrence of mus-
culoskeletal pain has been proposed to relate to female
gender (Erick and Smith 2013,2014b), smoking, sleep
disturbances, and number of children (Beyen et al.
2013). Other studies showed that musculoskeletal pain
has been positively associated with longer length of em-
ployment, high workload, increased age, and school
type (Darwish and Al-Zuhair 2013). On the other hand,
practicing exercise and favorable work circumstances
may have a protective effect against musculoskeletal
pain among school teachers (Erick and Smith 2013). A
frequently used assessment of severity of musculoskele-
tal pain is the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening
Questionnaire (ÖMPSQ), developed by Linton and
Halldén (1998).ThMPSQwasdevelopedtohelp
identifying persons at risk for developing disabling pain
by investigating the attitudes, beliefs, and behavior in
response to pain (Brown 2008). To the best of the au-
thorsknowledge, no prior study has been conducted on
assessing musculoskeletal pain among secondary school
female teachers in Aljouf region, northern Saudi Arabia.
Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess musculo-
skeletal pain and risk factors of disabling musculoskel-
etal pain among secondary school female teachers in
Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia.
Participants and methodology
Study design
The present study was a descriptive, cross-sectional inves-
tigation carried out to assess musculoskeletal pain and its
correlates among secondary school female teachers in
Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia. Aljouf region is located in
the northern part of Saudi Arabia. Data collection was
conducted during the period from December 2018 to
March 2019. The sampling frame was a list of female
secondary schools in Aljouf region, which was obtained
through the Ministry of Education.
Sampling
Sample size calculation
Estimation of the sample size was done using the following
formula:
N¼P1PðÞZ2
d2
Assuming the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain to be
79% (Darwish and Al-Zuhair2013), Z=1.96,d= 0.05, apply-
ing a confidence level of 95%, with 80% power of the study,
then the calculated sample size was 254.
Sampling technique
Using a multistage sampling methodology, we selected the
participants as follows:
First stage: Aljouf region has four governorates: Skaka,
Domat Al-Jandal, Alqurayat, and Tabargel. Skaka and
Domat Al-Jandal governorates were selected by a simple ran-
dom sample. Second stage: the total number of female sec-
ondary schools in Skaka and Domat Al-Jandal governorates is
42 (governmental: 32 and private: 10). Following a simple
random sampling technique, 15 schools were selected,
amongst which 11 governmental and four private schools
were chosen. All employed teachers in the selected schools
were invited to participate in the present study. The question-
naires were distributed by the researchers to all teachers of the
selected schools except those who were absent during survey
time or refused to participate in the study. Also, teachers with
pregnancy, recent fractures, and chronic illnesses were exclud-
ed from the study.
Data collection tool
A structured, self-administered, anonymous questionnaire
which consisted of three parts was used in the present study.
The first part of the questionnaire was about
sociodemographic characteristics, such as age, school type,
educational level, marital status, number of children, number
of sleeping hours, practicing exercises, and monthly income.
The second part of the questionnaire was about work circum-
stances of secondary schools female teachers, such as the
presence of a housemaid at home, type of shoes, number of
teaching years, method of getting to school, daily hours of
working, number of classes per day, number of classes per
week, having extracurricular activities, and the comfortable-
ness of school furniture. Also, the second part of the question-
naire inquires about the pattern and effect of musculoskeletal
pain experienced by the teachers during the last year, such as
its site, duration, and days of absenteeism per month because
J Public Health (Berl.): From Theory to Practice
of this pain. The third part was about the severity of muscu-
loskeletal pain, where an Arabic version of the ÖMPSQ was
used, which has been previously validated in some studies
(Linton and Boersma 2003; Westman et al. 2008). A cutoff
score of 105 in the ÖMPSQ has been found to predict those
who will have no disabling pain (< 105) and those who will
have disabling pain (> 105). A pilot study was carried out on
20 secondary school female teachers to test the clarity of the
questionnaire. Few modifications in the questionnaire were
made in order to avoid misunderstanding of some questions.
Data from the pilot study was not included in the study
sample.
Statistical procedure
The data was analyzed using the SPSS program, version 21.
Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages for
qualitative variables and mean and standard deviation (SD) for
quantitative variables were performed. Chi-squared and
Fishers exact tests were applied. Logistic regression analysis
was done to detect significant predictors of disabling muscu-
loskeletal pain. The p-value was considered statistically sig-
nificant when it was less than 0.05.
Results
The study was carried out on 254 secondary school female
teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia. Table 1reveals the
sociodemographic features of the respondents. Their mean
age was 37.87 ± 1.53 years. Most of the respondents were
working in governmental schools (87%). Nearly 91% had
attained their bachelor degree. Most of the participants were
married (80.3%). Concerning the number of children, 39.8%
of them had more than four children. The sleeping hours were
68 hours among 66.1% of the teachers. Regarding practicing
exercise, 78.3% of them did not practice exercise. The month-
ly income exceeded 5000 RS among 88.6% of the respon-
dents. Table 2depicts the work-related characteristics of the
secondary school female teachers. Most of the respondents
had a housemaid at home (65.4%). Regarding the type of
shoes, most of the participants wore flat shoes (68.5%). The
number of years of teaching was more than ten years among
58.3%. Nearly all of the respondents got to their schools by car
(96.1%). Almost 42% had more than four classes per day.
Most of the teachers had 11 to 20 classes per week (45.3%).
The daily hours of working were 7 to 9 among 59.1% of the
teachers. In relation to extracurricular activities, 85% of the
participants reported their involvement. Also, 45.3% of the
participants considered the school furniture as uncomfortable.
The overall prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among sec-
ondary school female teachers was 68.5%, as shown in Fig. 1.
Table 3demonstrates the pattern and effect of musculoskeletal
pain among secondary school female teachers. The majority
had musculoskeletal pain for more than six months (45.4%).
Regarding the site of musculoskeletal pain, the present study
showed that the highest prevalence was low back (68.4%),
followed by knee (58.6%), shoulder (47.7%), neck (45.4%),
elbow (23.6%), and wrist (14.4%). The number of days of
absenteeism because of musculoskeletal pain was one to five
days among 89.7% of the respondents. Among 174 teachers
with musculoskeletal pain, 64.4% had an ÖMPSQ score less
than 105 (non-disabling pain) and 35.6% had a score more
than 105 (disabling pain). Table 4shows the relationship be-
tween disabling musculoskeletal pain and the
sociodemographic features of secondary school female
teachers. Disabling pain was significantly associated with
age, marital status, and exercise practicing (p= 0.013, 0.043,
and 0.008, respectively). Disabling pain was prevalent among
teachers with increased age (32.7%). Also, disabling pain was
higher among teachers who were divorced or widowed
Table 1 Sociodemographic features of secondary school female
teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
Vari ab les No. ( %) (n=254)
Age (years)
40 153 (60.2)
> 40 101 (39.8)
Mean ± standard deviation (SD) (range) 37.87 ± 1.53 (2955)
Type of school
Governmental 221 (87)
Private 33 (13)
Educational level
Diploma 15 (5.9)
Bachelor degree 230 (90.6)
Postgraduate studies 9 (3.5)
Marital status
Single 19 (7.5)
Married 204 (80.3)
Divorced or widowed 31 (12.2)
Number of children
None 34 (13.4)
14119(46.9)
> 4 101 (39.8)
Number of sleeping hours
< 6 76 (29.9)
68 168 (66.1)
> 8 10 (3.9)
Practice exercise
Yes 55 (21.7 )
No 199 (78.3)
Income per month (RS)
5000 29 (11.4)
> 5000 225 (88.6)
J Public Health (Berl.): From Theory to Practice
(41.9%) and not practicing exercise (28.1%). Table 5shows
the relationship between disabling musculoskeletal pain and
the work-related characteristics of secondary school female
teachers. Disabling pain was significantly associated with
years of teaching, daily hours of working, number of classes
per week, and comfortableness of school furniture (p=0.020,
0.039, 0.013, and 0.009, respectively). Disabling pain was
higher among teachers with more than ten years of teaching
(29.7%), 79 daily hours of working (28.7%), and more than
20 classes per week (48%). Also, disabling pain was higher
among teachers who considered their school furniture as un-
comfortable (32.2%). Multiple logistic regression analysis re-
vealed that the following factors were significantly associated
with disabling pain: age more than 40 years [odds ratio (OR):
2.08; confidence interval (CI): 1.163.71] (p= 0.014), not
practicing exercise (OR: 3.19; CI: 1.297.88) (p=0.012),
more than ten years of teaching (OR: 2.07; CI: 1.123.84)
(p= 0.021), and non-comfortableness of school furniture
(OR: 2.16; CI: 1.213.88) (p=0.010).
Discussion
Musculoskeletal pain is a common and serious occupational
complaint that influences the general public, particularly
working individuals. Musculoskeletal pain mostly influences
those in the teaching career and is considered to be linked to
adverse work circumstances (Arvidsson et al. 2016).
Table 2 Work-related characteristics of secondary school female
teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
Variables No. (%) (n= 254)
Housemaid at home
Yes 166 (65.4)
No 88 (34.6)
Type of shoes
Flat 174 (68.5)
With heel 80 (31.5)
Years of teaching
< 10 106 (41.7)
10 148 (58.3)
Method of getting to school
On foot 10 (3.9)
By car 244 (96.1)
Daily hours of working
36 104 (40.9)
79 150 (59.1)
Number of classes per day
14 149 (58.7)
> 4 105 (41.3)
Number of classes per week
110 114 (44.9)
1120 115 (45.3)
> 20 25 (9.8)
Have extracurricular activities
Yes 216 (85)
No 38 (15)
Furniture use at school is comfortable
Yes 139 (54.7)
No 115 (45.3)
68.50%
31.50%
Yes
No
Fig. 1 Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among secondary school
female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
Table 3 Pattern and effect of musculoskeletal pain among secondary
school female teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
Vari ab les N o. (% ) (n=174)
Duration of pain (months)
< 3 66 (37.9)
3629(16.7)
> 6 79 (45.4)
Areas of pain
Single 54 (31)
Multiple 120 (69)
Site of pain*
Low back 119 (68.4)
Knee 102 (58.6)
Shoulder 83 (47.7)
Neck 79 (45.4)
Elbow 41 (23.6)
Wrist 25 (14.4)
Days of absenteeism per
month because of pain
15 156 (89.7)
610 18 (10.3)
Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening
Questionnaire (OMPSQ) score
Non-disabling pain (< 105) 112 (64.4)
Disabling pain (> 105) 62 (35.6)
*More than one answer had been reported
J Public Health (Berl.): From Theory to Practice
Numerous studies revealed that secondary school teachers
may have a higher risk of suffering from musculoskeletal pain
than primary school teachers, mostly due to the more intensive
workloads and more stressful conditions, factors that favor the
occurrence of pain (Mohseni Bandpei et al. 2014; Yue et al.
2012). Various studies showed a positive association between
musculoskeletal pain and female sex in the teaching profes-
sion (Erick and Smith 2014b; Mohseni Bandpei et al. 2014;
Samad et al. 2010). This may be attributed to the fact that the
teaching profession is mostly composed of females (Ng et al.
2017). Also, Chong and Chan proposed that females might
have pain more frequently than males because females have
less physical strength and may be stressed by their families or
profession (Chong and Chan 2010). In the present study, the
prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was 68.5% among sec-
ondary school female teachers. The most prevalent site of
musculoskeletal pain in this study was low back (68.4%).
This was relatively higher in comparison with other studies.
In a study conducted in Hong Kong, 53.3% of secondary
school teachers reported low back pain (Chiu et al. 2006).
The prevalence of back pain among Chinese school teachers
was 40% (Jin et al. 2004). Low back pain has been experi-
enced by 34.8% of French school teachers in the last six
months prior to the study by Kovess-Masféty et al. (2006).
Also, the prevalence of low back pain in a study which sam-
pled almost the same study population is 63.8%, which is
lower than that reported in this study (Darwish and Al-
Zuhair 2013). The high prevalence of low back pain may be
attributed to the fact that most secondary school teachers
spend their time continuously standing to follow the educa-
tional process. Knee pain was the second most common mus-
culoskeletal pain among school teachers, with a prevalence of
58.6%. This was higher than a previous study conducted in
Turkey (Durmus and Ilhanli 2012) but still lower than another
study performed in Saudi Arabia (Abdulmonem et al. 2014).
The prevalence of shoulder pain in this study was 47.7%.
Chinese school teachers had reported the highest shoulder
pain prevalence (73.4%) (Chong and Chan 2010), while in
Turkey, 28.7% of school teachers had experienced pain in
theshoulderarea(Korkmazetal.2011). Regarding neck pain,
it was reported by 45.4% of the teachers in this study. This is
lower than that reported in Hong Kong, where the prevalence
Table 4 Relationship between
disabling musculoskeletal pain
and sociodemographic features of
secondary school female teachers
in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
Variable No or non-disabling pain Disabling pain p-Value
Age (years)
40 124 (81) 29 (19) 0.013*
> 40 68 (67.3) 33 (32.7)
Type of school
Governmental 171 (77.4) 50 (22.6) 0.087
Private 21 (63.6) 12 (36.4)
Educational level
Diploma 10 (66.7) 5 (33.3) 0.704
Bachelor degree 175 (76.1) 55 (23.9)
Postgraduate studies 7 (77.8) 2 (22.2)
Marital status
Single 16 (84.2) 3 (15.8) 0.043*
Married 158 (77.5) 46 (22.5)
Divorced or widowed 18 (58.1) 13 (41.9)
Number of children
None 28 (82.4) 6 (17.6) 0.153
14 94 (79) 25 (21)
> 4 70 (69.3) 31 (30.7)
Sleeping hours
< 6 55 (72.4) 21(27.6) 0.718
68 129 (76.8) 39 (23.2)
> 8 8 (80) 2 (20)
Practice exercise
Yes 49 (89.1) 6 (10.9) 0.008*
No 143 (71.9) 56 (28.1)
Income per month (RS)
5000 23 (79.3) 6 (20.7) 0.620
> 5000 169 (75.1) 56 (24.9)
*Statistically significant difference at p<0.05
J Public Health (Berl.): From Theory to Practice
of neck pain among secondary school teachers was 69.3%
(Chiu and Lam 2007). However, it is higher than the result
from Turkey, where 42.5% of school teachers reported that
they had neck pain in the last year (Korkmaz et al. 2011).
Regarding the severity of musculoskeletal pain in this study,
64.4% of the respondents had non-disabling musculoskeletal
pain, while 35.6% had disabling pain. In a study conducted by
Darwish and Al-Zuhair, 25.9% of their participants had non-
disabling pain, while 53.3% had disabling pain (Darwish and
Al-Zuhair 2013). Musculoskeletal pain is a multidimensional
disease affected by several factors, such as the
sociodemographic and work-related characteristics of the af-
fected people. In the present study, the prevalence of disabling
musculoskeletal pain was significantly higher among aged
teachers. This agrees with the results of the studies investigat-
ing Brazilian (Cardoso et al. 2009) and Turkish teachers
(Korkmaz et al. 2011), which revealed that teachers more than
40 years old were more likely to have musculoskeletal pain
disorders. Musculoskeletal pain disorders are likely to become
more apparent as the population increases in age all over the
world (Felson 2000). However, other studies showed that
younger teachers have been found to experience musculoskel-
etal pain disorders. This has been revealed in the results of a
Chinese study (Chiu and Lam 2007), where the age group
with the highest prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was 31
35 years old. Disabling musculoskeletal pain was significantly
higher among divorced or widow teachers in this study, in
agreement with a study conducted by Abdulmonem et al.
(2014). Practicing exercise is a fundamental aspect of manag-
ing many musculoskeletal pain disorders (Geneen et al. 2017).
Table 5 Relationship between
disabling musculoskeletal pain
and work characteristics of
secondary school female teachers
in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
Variable No or non-disabling pain Disabling pain p-Value
Housemaid at home
Yes 127 (76.5) 39 (23.5) 0.641
No 65 (73.9) 23 (26.1)
Shoes
Flat 133 (76.4) 41 (23.6) 0.643
With heel 59 (73.8) 21 (26.3)
Years of teaching
< 10 88 (83) 18 (17) 0.020*
10 104 (70.3) 44 (29.7)
Method of getting to school
On foot 9 (90) 1 (10) 0.459
By car 183 (75) 61 (25)
Daily hours of working
36 85 (81.7) 19 (18.3) 0.039*
79 107 (71.3) 43 (28.7)
Number of classes per day
14 118 (79.2) 31 (20.8) 0.075
> 4 74 (70.5) 31 (29.5)
Number of classes per week
110 91 (79.8) 23 (20.2) 0.013*
1120 88 (76.5) 27 (23.5)
> 20 13 (52) 12 (48)
Have extracurricular activities
Yes 161 (74.5) 55 (25.5) 0.351
No 31 (81.6) 7 (18.4)
Furniture use at school is comfortable
Yes 114 (82) 25 (18) 0.009*
No 78 (67.8) 37 (32.2)
*Statistically significant difference at p<0.05
Table 6 Logistic regression analysis of significant factors affecting
disabling musculoskeletal pain among secondary school female
teachers in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia
p-Value OR 95% CI
Age > 40 years 0.014 2.08 1.163.71
Not practicing exercise 0.012 3.19 1.297.88
Years of teaching > 10 years 0.021 2.07 1.123.84
Not comfortable furniture at school 0.010 2.16 1.213.88
OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval
J Public Health (Berl.): From Theory to Practice
In the present study, disabling musculoskeletal pain was sig-
nificantly higher among teachers do not practice exercise. In
this study, there was a significant association between dis-
abling musculoskeletal pain and increasing number of teach-
ing years, in agreement with many studies (Cardoso et al.
2009;DarwishandAl-Zuhair2013;Chiuetal.2006). This
positive association with the length of employment may be
due to the longer time the teacher was exposed to adverse
conditions causing musculoskeletal pain. In a Chinese study
of secondary school teachers, high workload has been signif-
icantly associated with neck pain (Chiu and Lam 2007). This
agrees with the results of this study, which showed that dis-
abling musculoskeletal pain was significantly higher among
teachers with more daily hours of working and more classes
per week. On the other hand, other studies did not show a
significant relationship between musculoskeletal pain and
workload (Darwish and Al-Zuhair 2013;Abdulmonemetal.
2014). The present study showed that musculoskeletal pain
was significantly higher among teachers who reported non-
comfortableness of school furniture. This is in agreement with
a study conducted among Brazilian teachers which showed
that inappropriate furniture has been positively associated
with back pain (Cardoso et al. 2009).
Conclusion and recommendations
Secondary school female teachers showed a high prevalence
of musculoskeletal pain in most anatomic sites, such as low
back, knee, shoulder, neck, elbow, and wrist. Risk factors
associatedwith disabling musculoskeletal pain were age more
than 40 years, not practicing exercise, more than ten years of
teaching, and non-comfortableness of school furniture. Some
useful preventive measures can be executed atthe school level
to decrease the high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, such
as proportional reduction of workload for aging teachers, op-
timizing working hours per day, and availability of comfort-
able furniture. Health promotion programs are recommended
to increase the awareness regarding the benefits of doing reg-
ular exercise.
Limitations
The administrative authorities in Saudi Arabia prevent female
researchers from conducting studies on male teachers.
Therefore, the researchers did not have the chance to deter-
mine sex-specific prevalence rates. Another limitation is that
this investigation was a cross-sectional study, which showed
the relation between musculoskeletal pain and some risk fac-
tors, without being able to determine a causeeffect
relationship.
Acknowledgements The authors would like to express their extreme
thanks to all the school teachers and principals of the selected schools
for facilitating conduction of the present study.
Author contributions AS, NF, and FS suggested the research topic. Data
collection and entry was done by AS, RA, NF, FS, SM, and FF. DM
performed the statistical analysis and data interpretation. DM and AS
wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors read and approved
the final draft of the manuscript.
Funding The present study did not receive any financial budgets from
national or international organizations.
Availability of data and materials Please contact the authors for data
requests.
Compliance with ethical standards
Ethical approval and consent to participate Reviewing the proposal
was executed by a Local Committee of Bioethics at Jouf University,
Saudi Arabia. Data were collected after ethical clearance.
Administrative approvals were completed from the Ministry of
Education and school management. The female teachers were invited to
participate in the study after describing the objectives of the study and
emphasizing the confidentiality of the collected data through anonymous,
self-administered questionnaires. Informed written consent was obtained
from participants who agreed to share in the study.
Consent for publication Consent to publish was acquired from the tar-
get population.
Conflict of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of
interest.
Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative
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... Comparisons were made to ensure same phrasing and meaning of the questions by the researchers. The NMQ was also translated into Arabic and used in previous Saudi Arabian studies [11,24,25]. ...
... This finding is in line with a systematic review on MSDs among school teachers from different countries, that found that the prevalence of MSDs ranged between 39 and 95% [2]. This prevalence is also similar to that reported in previous studies among teachers in Estonia (66.7%) [36], Delhi, India (65.1%) [37], Saudi Arabia, Al-Jouf Region (68.5%) [24] and Saudi Arabia, Abha region (62.5%) [38]. ...
... [38] and Chile (57.5%) [41]. It is lower than what has been reported in similar studies in Turkey (74.9%) [9], Iran (71.9%) [46], Saudi Arabia, Al-Jouf Region (68.4%) [24] and Hail, Saudi Arabia (62.55%) [25]. However, it is higher than what has been reported in similar studies in China (47.14%) [15], India (33.8%) [45], Terengganu, Malaysia (25%) [43], Fiji (45.4%) [40] and Enugu, Nigeria (49%) [33]. ...
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Background School teachers constitute an occupational group which reported a high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). Different individual, occupational and psychosocial factors have been identified to influence the complex process of WRMSDs. WRMSDs represent an important and costly occupational health problem being responsible for a poor quality of life (QOL) of teachers . This study aimed to determine the prevalence, the risk factors, and the impact of WRMSDs on the QOL of teachers. Methods 310 full-time teachers from 15 public schools were surveyed using an interview questionnaire about their sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36). Results Self-reported prevalence of WRMSDs at any body part over the past 12 months among teachers was 66.77%. Neck pain (56.1%) was the most prevalent WRMSD followed by shoulders (53.2%), low back (53.2%) and knees (50.6%) pain. Female gender, body mass index, the number of students per classroom, the number of classes per week, different adapted awkward postures and the lack of enough supervisor’s psychological support at work were among the risk factors positively associated with WRMSDs. WRMSDs had a negative impact on the physical and mental QOL of teachers with WRMSDs as reflected by their lower scores on all scales of the SF-36 compared to their counterparts without WRMSDs ( p ˂ 0.05). Conclusion WRMSDs were a highly prevalent problem among teachers in Cairo, Egypt and negatively influencing their physical and mental QOL. Different individual, occupational and psychosocial factors had been shown to be significant predictors for the occurrence of WRMSDs reflecting their complex nature and multifactorial etiology.
... Studies in several countries have reported on the prevalence of MSD in teachers, with reports of wrist/hand pain specifically occurring at a prevalence of 13.4% in Turkey, 26% in Bolivia, 40.7% in Malaysia, and 44% in the Philippines [9][10][11][12]. Reports in other studies of the prevalence of wrist pain in Saudi Arabia range from 7.4% to 22.1% [13][14][15][16]. However, these studies address wrist/hand pain as a symptom without exploring its characteristics or relationship to CTS in teachers. ...
... We found the prevalence of self-reported CTS among school teachers to be 9.1%, which is, surprisingly, higher than that reported in the general population [1,28]. Moreover, previous researchers estimated the percentage of wrist and/or hand symptoms in Saudi teachers from 7.4% to 22.1% [13][14][15][16]. Younis et al. [18] found that 62% of the symptomatic school teachers whom they studied had clinically confirmed CTS, but this relatively high percentage may be attributable to the fact that they included only symptomatic teachers in their sample. ...
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Background Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) afflicting the upper limbs with a prevalence of approximately 14.4% in the general population. Previous studies have noted the increasing prevalence of MSDs among teachers but have not investigated in depth the prevalence and predictors of CTS symptoms in this population. The aim of this study was to help fill this gap in the literature by investigating teachers working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods We conducted this cross-sectional study in Riyadh using an online survey. We distributed the Boston carpal tunnel questionnaire (BCTQ) to schoolteachers in the city through the social media applications Twitter, WhatsApp, and Telegram. We assessed the respondents’ symptoms using Univariate association analyses with a Wilcoxon rank sum test for the continuous variables and Fisher’s exact test and Pearson’s chi-squared test for the categorical variables. We assessed the independent risk factors for CTS by constructing multivariate binary logistic regression models and expressed the results using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), with p < 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Results The sample for this study included 490 teachers. Among them, the prevalence of moderate to severe CTS symptoms was 40.0%, and self-reported CTS was 9.1%. The teachers who were female, relatively old, left-handed, retired, and spent significant time using a pen, keyboard, and/or blackboard were more likely than those who were male, relatively young, right-handed, and did not spend significant time using a pen, keyboard, and/or blackboard to self-report CTS and exhibit moderate to severe symptoms. Conclusions We found a relatively high percentage (40.0%) of CTS symptoms among teachers working in Riyadh. This finding suggests that any sign of CTS symptoms should be checked to ensure early diagnosis and treatment, which contribute to positive outcomes, particularly given the recent increase in such risk factors for CTS as diabetes, hypothyroidism, and high BMI in populations worldwide.
... According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010, injuries and diseases that cause the most impairment include LBP. This impairment has the greatest rating in terms of its economic burden on general industry, people, and the government as a whole [11]. ...
... Teachers usually deliver lectures in standing postures hence; this prolonged standing might become a risk factor for developing lower back pain. Similarly, a study in Saudi Arabia found that no. of classes per week, comfortableness of school furniture, daily hours of working, more than 10 years of teaching, and not practicing exercises were the main risk factors which were Department of Life Sciences Volume 4 Issue 3, 2022 considered to analyze the lower back pain (LBP) in teachers [11]. ...
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According to the world health organization (WHO), lower back pain (LBP) is the most common healthhazard among workers and is among the top ten health hazards around the globe. The Global Burden ofDisease (GBD) 2010 stated LBP as amongst the top 6 diseases which cause disability injuries and otherchronic diseases. This is the impairment that poses the most economic burden on society as a whole,including individuals, businesses, and the government. This study aims to find out the factors that affectlower back pain among workers associated with different professions in Pakistan. Data were collectedfrom different databases, such as PubMed, Google scholar, and PEDro by using a predefined searchstrategy with proper Boolean terms ‘AND’ or ‘OR’ or ‘NOT’. The data were collected from theliterature available for past 10 years. Additionally, articles with relevant material and titles werereviewed for conducting the current research review. The most common risk factors that were seenalmost among all professions were static position and prolonged working hours, any work that demandsprolonged standing or sitting, bending or twisting, and improper lifting. Several professional workers areat high risk for developing LBP but among all the professions physiotherapists, sonographers, bankers,and shopkeepers were at higher verge for developing LBP. It was found that the prevalence of LBP isincreasing day by day and significantly affecting workers in every profession. Therefore, timelytrainings with proper ergonomic techniques could decrease LBP and increase economic productivity inPakistan. It can be said that good ergonomics for good economics.
... Additionally, the study considered BMI as a relevant health indicator. Marital status was categorized as single or married, while smoking status was assessed as either "yes" or "no" [14]. ...
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Background: One of the most common occupational health hazard and serious health concern, now a days, recognized is Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The high prevalence among students and teachers is a major cause of decline in their health related quality of life and work performance. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among teachers and students during online education. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among university faculty members and students who were involved in online education during COVID-19. Data collection was carried out electronically through a validated Arabic version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) which is self reported. A total of 175 respondents responded to the questionnaire (response 60%). Results: The prevalence of any part of the body was 90.3%. The commonest site of MSDs for past 12 months was the low back (65.7%), the neck (58.3%), and shoulders (57.7%). Females (80%) suffered more than males (20%). The students reported slightly higher MSDs as compared to teachers (93.1% vs 90.3). Binominal regression analysis showed association of females with low back pain “OR: 2.24 (95% CI): 1.04-4.83; p = 0.03” and neck pain “OR: 2.7 (95% CI): 1.24–5.84; p = 0.012)” while bad posture was associated with pain in upper back “OR: 3.46 (95% CI): 1.73-6.93; p = 0.001”. Conclusion: The faculty members and students are prone to high MSDs during online classes and significant measures should be taken to reduce the prevalence by addressing associated risk factors.
... However, the discrepancies between these findings and our study can be attributed to Abdulmonem et al. [15] solely investigating the prevalence of severe LBP in this population. A more representative figure, in line with our aims, was reported in a cross-sectional study by Abdel-Salam et al. [16] that recorded a prevalence of 68.4% for LBP in female teachers in Saudi Arabia. A study by Al-Rowayeh et al. [13] was done on teachers in Kuwait, and the results indicated that 68.5% of teachers reported low back pain, which is similar to our findings in a similar culture. ...
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The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) is increasing exponentially, with this public health issue affecting over 70% of the population. However, sedentary careers exacerbate the problem further, with professions such as teaching disproportionately affected. In addition, the general population does not seek interventions from medical professionals for LBP; instead, they opt to manage their pain with over-the-counter medications, such as sedatives. The purpose of this study was to explore practices and beliefs related to back pain treatment among schoolteachers in the Asir region. This cross-sectional study included a sample of 312 teachers from the Asir region, with data collected regarding the prevalence of back pain, management approaches, and beliefs surrounding medical interventions. Chi-square or exact tests defined the association between variables, with significance determined at p < 0.05. Our results revealed that 67.3% of Saudi Arabian teachers experienced LBP within the last two months, with a continuous condition representing 36.7% of cases. This study identified several different treatment modalities the participants use to manage their pain, including sedatives, best rest, kaiy (traditional cautery), and local adhesives, with sedatives being the most employed method. It also highlighted that increased daily working hours and total days worked significantly increased the prevalence of LBP (p < 0.05). Although a considerable number of the included teachers were highly educated, with some teaching experience, they had a poor level of awareness and an incorrect attitude towards pain management. Enhanced efforts should be made to improve teachers’ awareness regarding back pain causes and management methods.
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Introduction As a result of the demands of their profession, teachers encounter a range of ergonomic risk factors and are highly susceptible to developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Accordingly, this systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out to examine the frequency of MSDs among teachers. Materials and methods The present research followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and its protocol was registered in international prospective register of systematic review (PROSPERO) under the code CRD42024509263. To conduct the searches, various databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, SID, ISC, and Google Scholar were utilized, and the search period was until February 7th, 2024 without time restriction. A random effects model was employed for meta-analysis, and I² index was utilized to assess heterogeneity among the studies. Data analysis was carried out using STATA (version 14). Results After an initial search across the mentioned databases, a total of 2,047 articles were identified. Following screening, study selection, and quality evaluation, 44 studies were ultimately chosen for meta-analysis, involving 15,972 teachers. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that the overall prevalence of MSDs among teachers is 68% (95% CI: 61–75, I² = 99.2%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the prevalence rates of MSDs in different body regions, such as the neck (47%), lower back (47%), shoulder (44%), upper back (37%), knee (35%), ankle (30%), wrist (27%), hip (22%), and elbow (13%), were reported. Conclusion The overall prevalence of MSDs among teachers is relatively high. Neck and lower back pain are more common among them compared to other body regions. It is recommended that periodic occupational medicine examinations, training, and the implementation of ergonomic interventions for this occupational group focus on assessing the risk factors for MSDs, especially in the neck and lower back regions. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=509263, identifier CRD42024509263.
Article
Introduction. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and correlations between associated risk factors, physical activity levels, stress, and quality of life among schoolteachers in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study using SPSS version 23.0 for the statistical analysis, was conducted using the Shapiro–Wilk test, independent t-test and one-way ANOVA test to compare the quality of life scores and stress level scores based on variables. Results. In total, 342 teachers working in private and public schools were recruited. Our results showed a high prevalence of MSP among teachers. The most reported areas were the lower back, shoulder, and neck, followed by the upper back. The suggested causes are long hours spent on devices, as the average hours spent on devices range from 6 to 9 hours, heavy load of teaching from 16 to 30 classes per week, old age in most participants (35 years and above), and low physical activity. Moreover, quality of life is low among teachers with known chronic medical conditions and teachers working in private schools. Stress was moderate when all variables were tested. Conclusion. Work-related MSP are highly prevalent among schoolteachers in the UAE. A high prevalence is associated with older age, longer teaching hours, higher teaching load, poor quality of life, and moderate stress.
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Musculoskeletal disorders in adult population have been a rapidly expanding issue. It has been determined that teachers in educational institutions are one profession that is susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders. Even while MSDs among occupational groups have been extensively researched in other nations, Pakistan currently lacks solid information on this health issue, notably in the teaching profession. Work-related MSDs may result from the demands of this work, which involve daily, continuous stress on the body's muscular systems over the course of at least a year. So, this study is to identify papers that looked into instructor complaints of pain in lower back, shoulder and neck and other body areas. In this way, the objective of this review is likely to explore the works fundamentally and account on the incidence of MSDs as well as the risk factors relating to the job of educator. Any felt pain or discomfort from the nine body regions neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, elbows, wrists/hands, hips/thighs, knees, and ankles/feet lasting for more than one day over the course of the previous 12 months was dened as the prevalence of MSDs which is growing rapidly all around the world.
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Purpose Combined with insufficient physical activity (PA) prolonged and improperly performed sedentary work can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The aim of this study was (I) to evaluate the self-reported level of PA and the prevalence of MSDs in male and female teachers, and (II) to investigate the association between PA and MSDs in teachers in Polish primary and secondary schools. Methods The study included 254 teachers from primary and secondary schools from Upper Silesia, Poland, excluding physical education teachers. The level of PA was assessed using the Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall (SDPAR). A standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to assess the prevalence of MSDs. Results A similar percentage of female (80%) and male (90%) teachers met the WHO recommendations on moderate-intensity PA. The recommendations on performing vigorous-intensity PA were met by significantly ( p = 0.002) less female than male teachers (50% and 75% respectively). Lower back disorders during the last 12 months and the last 7 days (57% and 45%, respectively) were the most commonly reported MSDs by teachers, followed by neck (53%, 40%), upper back (39%, 28%), and knee disorders (37%, 26%). The highest pain intensity was experienced by the teachers in the lower back and neck. Teachers with a greater number of MSDs were less likely to engage in vigorous-intensity PA and total PA than those with fewer painful areas of the body. Pain intensity in the neck, knees, upper- and lower back, and wrists/hands was negatively related to moderate and total PA. BMI negatively correlated with total PA, moderate-intensity PA vigorous-intensity PA, and high vigorous-intensity PA. Conclusions The study revealed the association between PA and MSDs in studied teachers. The most of the studied teachers met the WHO recommendation, and women were less likely to perform vigorous and high-vigorous PA than men. The lower back and neck disorders were the most common among the teachers.
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Back pain (BP) is one of the most debilitating conditions inflicting grief, discomfort, and disability to its bearer. Teachers are more at risk of having low back. As teaching requires such activities like long standing and sitting as occupational demand so making this profession more prone to develop low back pain. Objectives: To check the prevalence and intensity of low back pain in the teachers of universities in Lahore.Methods: This study was based on cross-sectional research. Total 261 participants were included in the study with systematic random sampling technique, and collection of the data is done by using an authentic scale “Owestery Disability Scale”. SPSS version 21.0 was used and frequency charts and bar charts are used. Results: Low back pain prevalence in university teachers is 56% and 44% participants were having no pain. Most of the teachers having pain were in age range of 31 to 40 years, 52.5% were females and 47.5% were male. Most of the participants who were having low back pain experienced mild pain which constitute about 86% of total respondents with low back pain. Moderate pain was experienced by 24% participants. Only 6% teachers from the sample size felt severe pain. Conclusion: There was a significant prevalence of low back pain in teachers of universities in Lahore. The intensity of pain varied from mild to severe and most of the teachers experienced mild low back pain.
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Purpose: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the most common and important occupational health problems in the teaching profession. However, there are few studies of teachers with MSDs in developing countries such as Malaysia. The objective of the study was to review the literature on the prevalence and the risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among primary and secondary school teachers in Malaysia. Method: A search was made using various electronic databases and bibliographies (such as PubMed), which identified 18 reports from 2006 to 2016, although only 5 studies were included for the review. Results: Previous reviews demonstrated that secondary school teachers have a higher risk of MSDs compared to their counterparts in the primary schools. Dominant risk factors cited in the reviews were prolonged sitting and standing, long working hours with computers, and correcting test papers. These all contributed to the development and exacerbation of MSDs among high school teachers. However, one of the important findings from this review is the lack of high quality studies in both developed and particularly in developing countries. Conclusion: The studies concerning MSDs among teachers revealed a lot needing to be done, not only in examining the risk factors but also in developing interventions to minimize MSDs in the teaching profession.
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Background: Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting beyond normal tissue healing time, generally taken to be 12 weeks. It contributes to disability, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, poor quality of life, and healthcare costs. Chronic pain has a weighted mean prevalence in adults of 20%.For many years, the treatment choice for chronic pain included recommendations for rest and inactivity. However, exercise may have specific benefits in reducing the severity of chronic pain, as well as more general benefits associated with improved overall physical and mental health, and physical functioning.Physical activity and exercise programmes are increasingly being promoted and offered in various healthcare systems, and for a variety of chronic pain conditions. It is therefore important at this stage to establish the efficacy and safety of these programmes, and furthermore to address the critical factors that determine their success or failure. Objectives: To provide an overview of Cochrane Reviews of adults with chronic pain to determine (1) the effectiveness of different physical activity and exercise interventions in reducing pain severity and its impact on function, quality of life, and healthcare use; and (2) the evidence for any adverse effects or harm associated with physical activity and exercise interventions. Methods: We searched theCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) on the Cochrane Library (CDSR 2016, Issue 1) for systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), after which we tracked any included reviews for updates, and tracked protocols in case of full review publication until an arbitrary cut-off date of 21 March 2016 (CDSR 2016, Issue 3). We assessed the methodological quality of the reviews using the AMSTAR tool, and also planned to analyse data for each painful condition based on quality of the evidence.We extracted data for (1) self-reported pain severity, (2) physical function (objectively or subjectively measured), (3) psychological function, (4) quality of life, (5) adherence to the prescribed intervention, (6) healthcare use/attendance, (7) adverse events, and (8) death.Due to the limited data available, we were unable to directly compare and analyse interventions, and have instead reported the evidence qualitatively. Main results: We included 21 reviews with 381 included studies and 37,143 participants. Of these, 264 studies (19,642 participants) examined exercise versus no exercise/minimal intervention in adults with chronic pain and were used in the qualitative analysis.Pain conditions included rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, low back pain, intermittent claudication, dysmenorrhoea, mechanical neck disorder, spinal cord injury, postpolio syndrome, and patellofemoral pain. None of the reviews assessed 'chronic pain' or 'chronic widespread pain' as a general term or specific condition. Interventions included aerobic, strength, flexibility, range of motion, and core or balance training programmes, as well as yoga, Pilates, and tai chi.Reviews were well performed and reported (based on AMSTAR), and included studies had acceptable risk of bias (with inadequate reporting of attrition and reporting biases). However the quality of evidence was low due to participant numbers (most included studies had fewer than 50 participants in total), length of intervention and follow-up (rarely assessed beyond three to six months). We pooled the results from relevant reviews where appropriate, though results should be interpreted with caution due to the low quality evidence. Pain severity: several reviews noted favourable results from exercise: only three reviews that reported pain severity found no statistically significant changes in usual or mean pain from any intervention. However, results were inconsistent across interventions and follow-up, as exercise did not consistently bring about a change (positive or negative) in self-reported pain scores at any single point. Physical function: was the most commonly reported outcome measure. Physical function was significantly improved as a result of the intervention in 14 reviews, though even these statistically significant results had only small-to-moderate effect sizes (only one review reported large effect sizes). Psychological function and quality of life: had variable results: results were either favourable to exercise (generally small and moderate effect size, with two reviews reporting significant, large effect sizes for quality of life), or showed no difference between groups. There were no negative effects. Adherence to the prescribed intervention: could not be assessed in any review. However, risk of withdrawal/dropout was slightly higher in the exercising group (82.8/1000 participants versus 81/1000 participants), though the group difference was non-significant. Healthcare use/attendance: was not reported in any review. Adverse events, potential harm, and death: only 25% of included studies (across 18 reviews) actively reported adverse events. Based on the available evidence, most adverse events were increased soreness or muscle pain, which reportedly subsided after a few weeks of the intervention. Only one review reported death separately to other adverse events: the intervention was protective against death (based on the available evidence), though did not reach statistical significance. Authors' conclusions: The quality of the evidence examining physical activity and exercise for chronic pain is low. This is largely due to small sample sizes and potentially underpowered studies. A number of studies had adequately long interventions, but planned follow-up was limited to less than one year in all but six reviews.There were some favourable effects in reduction in pain severity and improved physical function, though these were mostly of small-to-moderate effect, and were not consistent across the reviews. There were variable effects for psychological function and quality of life.The available evidence suggests physical activity and exercise is an intervention with few adverse events that may improve pain severity and physical function, and consequent quality of life. However, further research is required and should focus on increasing participant numbers, including participants with a broader spectrum of pain severity, and lengthening both the intervention itself, and the follow-up period.
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Background: It is usually assumed that musculoskeletal pain is associated with both the physical workload and the psychosocial work environment, as well as with personal and lifestyle factors. This study aims to ascertain the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in women with varying or different occupational exposures, and to explore the associations between musculoskeletal pain and the occupational and personal factors. Methods: A questionnaire on physical, psychosocial and individual factors was answered by 1591 women in five occupational groups with contrasting occupational exposures (teachers, anaesthetic, theatre, and assistant nurses, and sonographers). The outcome measure was musculoskeletal pain (in a new model based on frequency and intensity of complaints the preceding year) from the neck, shoulders, hands, lower back and feet. Results: Neck pain was equally frequent among teachers, assistant nurses and sonographers, and less frequent in anaesthetic and theatre nurses. The sonographers experienced the highest prevalence of shoulder pain, while the assistant nurses were the most affected in the wrists and hands, lower back, and feet. The teachers reported the highest scores in most of the psychosocial dimensions. The theatre nurses scored highest in strenuous work postures and movements (mechanical exposure index, MEI), and the assistant nurses in physical activity and lifting (physical exposure index, PHYI). Multivariable models in the total population showed that both the physical workload and the psychosocial work environment were associated with pain in all body regions, though different factors affected different regions. Pain in the neck, shoulders, hands and lower back was strongly associated with a high MEI and high job demands, while pain in the feet was associated with a high PHYI and a high BMI. A young age was associated with pain in the neck, and an older age was associated with pain in the hands and feet. Lack of time for personal recovery was associated with pain in the shoulders and lower back. Conclusions: The occupational groups were affected differently and need different protective measures. For the teachers, the psychosocial work environment should be improved. The surgical staff and sonographers require measures to mitigate lifting and constrained postures.
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The article describes the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain according to sociodemographic and occupational variables among elementary school teachers. A cross-sectional study included all 4,496 school teachers of the municipal elementary education network of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. There was a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in lower limbs (41. 1%), upper limbs (23. 7%) and back (41. 1%). The overall prevalence of musculoskeletal pain related to any of the three body segments was 55%. Musculoskeletal pain was more prevalent in the three body segments investigated: among women, the elderly, those with high-level school education, married, with three or more children, and who had worked over fourteen years as teachers. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was associated with the following occupational variables: working over five years at the school, high level of physical exertion, not having a paid activity other than teaching, and reporting heat in the classroom. The findings draw attention toward the need to adopt public policies to improve the working conditions of teachers.
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Background: Although musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are one of the prolific reasons for decreased productivity at work due to increased sick leave, absenteeism and early retirement in the teaching profession; scant epidemiological data exists concerning teachers in developing countries. The work tasks of teachers often involve a wide variety of duties and responsibilities that may be carried out under unfavourable working conditions, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, risk factors and impacts of MSD among school teachers in Botswana.
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Background: Low back pain prevalence is somewhat higher in the wealthier countries (42% vs. 35%). But, the epidemiological information regarding the prevalence and associated risk factors of low back pain among universities, colleges and school teachers in Ethiopia are unknown. Thus the aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of low back pain among universities, colleges and school teachers in Ethiopia, particularly in Gondar town. Methods: To assess prevalence of low back pain and associated factors among primary and secondary school, and higher institution (college and university) teachers in Gondar town, an institution based cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted. A total of 662 teachers were included in the study. Teachers in the town were selected by stratified random sampling from their institutions in which they work. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression techniques were used to identify factors associated with low back pain. Results: Of 602 teachers, 346 (57.5%) experienced low back pain (LBP) throughout their job career. The twelve month prevalence of LBP among teachers was 324 (53.8%). Doing regular physical exercise [AOR=0.52, 95%CI: 0.34, 0.82], provisions of office at working institution [AOR=0.52, 95%CI: 0.33, 0.81] and satisfaction with working environment and culture [AOR=0.55, 95%CI: 0.36, 0.86] were among factors significantly associated with low back pain. Conclusion: This study showed high prevalence of low back pain among teachers. Doing regular physical exercise, provisions of office at working institution and satisfaction with working environment and culture, were among the most contributing factors in reducing low back pain. Therefore, doing regular physical activity, avoiding their smoking habit, Getting enough time for sleep and avoiding worries reduces the risk of low back pain among teachers.
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Objectives: To quantify the prevalence and identify the associated factors of musculoskeletal pain among Saudi female school teachers. Methods: An observational quantitative cross-sectional survey of female Saudi school teachers in five different areas of Saudi Arabia was carried out between August and October 2013. A self-administered questionnaire was used in which the items related to participants' demographic information and pain information were included. A numeric pain rating scale was used for patient self-reporting of pain. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS Pc+ version 21.0 statistical software. Results: Four hundred and eighty six female school teachers responded to the survey. Severe Low back pain was reported by 38.1% of teacher, followed by knee pain (26.3%), heel (24.1%), shoulder (20.6%), upper back (17.7%), hip joint (16.5%),ankle (12.3%), neck (11.3%). Sever pain of elbow (5.6%) and wrist (7.4%) was the least reported. Pain affected work at school in 46.1% of school teachers. A combination of variables: body mass index, Vitamin D deficiency, teaching level, presence of chronic illness, were found to be significantly associated with musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion: The results of self-reported prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among female Saudi school teachers is useful to educate the school teachers for adequate care so as to prevent these pains. There is a need for the higher authorities to address this issue and implement intervention programs to alleviate the pain and suffering of these school teachers.
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Background Although low back pain (LBP) represents a common occupational problem, few epidemiological studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors for LBP among school teachers, particularly in Africa. School teachers are known to represent an occupational group among which there appears to be a high prevalence of LBP. The objective of this study was, therefore, to conduct one of the first epidemiological investigations of LBP among teachers in Botswana. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among teachers in Botswana using self-administered questionnaires which were distributed to 3100 randomly selected school teachers and collected over a five-month period between July and November 2012. The questionnaire included low back pain information, demographic data, lifestyle, work-related characteristics and psychosocial factors. Data were analysed using Chi-squared and logistic regression models. The 12 month prevalence and LBP disability and associated risk factors were also analysed. Results A total of 1747 teachers returned completed questionnaires, yielding a response rate of 56.3%. The 12-month prevalence of LBP was 55.7%, with 67.1% of them reporting minimal disability. The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender [OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.14-2.00] and previous back injury [OR: 9.67, 95% CI: 4.94-18.93] were positively correlated to LBP. Awkward arm position [OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.24-2.62] and high psychological job demands [OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.02-1.93] were also significantly associated with LBP. Regular physical exercise was negatively associated with LBP [OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43-0.93]. Female gender [OR: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.52-3.99] and previous back injury [OR: 3.01, 95% CI: 1.92-4.74] were also positively associated with LBP disability. Conclusion The prevalence of LBP appears to be high among school teachers in Botswana. A wide variety of LBP risk factors were identified in this study. Female gender and previous injury were both associated with LBP presence and disability. The complex nature of LBP risk factors found in this study suggests than no single specific preventative or intervention strategy will help in reducing these conditions. As such, to help reduce the prevalence, progression and burden of LBP among Botswana teachers, a greater emphasis should now be placed on ergonomics education, regular physical exercise and occupational stress.
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Objectives: To quantify the prevalence and identify the associated factors of musculoskeletal pain among Saudi female school teachers. Methods: An observational quantitative cross-sectional survey of female Saudi school teachers in five different areas of Saudi Arabia was carried out between August and October 2013. A self-administered questionnaire was used in which the items related to participants' demographic information and pain information were included. A numeric pain rating scale was used for patient self-reporting of pain. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS Pc+ version 21.0 statistical software. Results: Four hundred and eighty six female school teachers responded to the survey. Severe Low back pain was reported by 38.1% of teacher, followed by knee pain (26.3%), heel (24.1%), shoulder (20.6%), upper back (17.7%), hip joint (16.5%),ankle (12.3%), neck (11.3%). Sever pain of elbow (5.6%) and wrist (7.4%) was the least reported. Pain affected work at school in 46.1% of school teachers. A combination of variables: body mass index, Vitamin D deficiency, teaching level, presence of chronic illness, were found to be significantly associated with musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion: The results of self-reported prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among female Saudi school teachers is useful to educate the school teachers for adequate care so as to prevent these pains. There is a need for the higher authorities to address this issue and implement intervention programs to alleviate the pain and suffering of these school teachers.