Practicing Physical Therapy Affects Professionals in Egypt

Introduction. Physiotherapy is one of many professions at a high risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSds). The authors focused on job risk factors, frequency of occurrence, pain severity, and features of WMSds among physical therapists in 11 governorates of Egypt. Methods. A survey research interview including a standardized questionnaire was conducted with 220 physiotherapists from different clinics and hospitals in 11 governorates of Egypt. Results. The most frequently involved body parts were the lower back (56.82%), followed by the neck and upper back (14.55% and 11.82%, respectively). Physiotherapists who worked at clinics were mostly affected. Physiotherapists working in the orthopaedic field were exposed to most work risk factors (63.18%), followed by those in the paediatric and neurological fields (25.91% and 10.91%, respectively). Moreover, 66.82% of the physiotherapists were affected while using manual therapy methods in comparison with electro-manual and electrical methods. Female physiotherapists were more involved than their male counterparts (62.73% and 37.27%, respectively). There was a moderate positive correlation among the pain level of the affected body segment, the number of cases managed by the physiotherapist per day, and the number of work hours per day. Conclusions. The results suggest that physiotherapists should follow a specific strategy to protect their bodies, especially the back areas. The use of engineering and administrative controls like a proper clinic design, application of electronic and computerized devices, and management of work time may help reduce the incidence of WMSds.