Effectiveness of Exercise Program Interventions in Reducing Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Operating Room Technicians
Sports exercises and musculoskeletal disorders
Abstract
Background: Due to demanding work hours and conditions, operating room technicians are at high risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study aimed to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of an ergonomic intervention program based on targeted exercise routines tailored to the needs of these professionals.
Methods: This interventional study employed a before-and-after clinical trial design involving 40 operating room technicians (39 female, 1 male) at Rasool Akram Hospital. Data collection tools included the Nordic and Corlett questionnaires. Participants received training as part of a six-week ergonomic exercise program. Post-intervention data were analyzed using SPSS software.
Results: Before the intervention, mean discomfort scores were high in the back (3.18), shoulder and arm (3.53), hand and wrist (0.48), and knee (2.07). Following the intervention, these values decreased to 2.37, 2.90, 0.30, and 1.68, respectively. Repeated measures ANOVA with Greenhouse-Geisser correction indicated statistically significant reductions in the back, neck, shoulder, arm (p < 0.001), and knee (p = 0.002).
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that an ergonomic exercise-based intervention can significantly reduce musculoskeletal discomfort among operating room technicians, highlighting the potential of such programs in occupational health strategies.
1. Akrouf Q, et al. Musculoskeletal disorders among bank office workers in Kuwait. East Mediterr Health J. 2010;16(1):94–100.
2. Denis D, et al. Intervention practices in musculoskeletal disorder prevention: a critical literature review. Appl Ergon. 2008;39(1):1–14.
3. Maakip I, Keegel T, Oakman J. Prevalence and predictors for musculoskeletal discomfort in Malaysian office workers: investigating explanatory factors for a developing country. Appl Ergon. 2016;53:252–7.
4. Maakip I, Keegel T, Oakman J. Predictors of musculoskeletal discomfort: a cross-cultural comparison between Malaysian and Australian office workers. Appl Ergon. 2017;60:52–7.
5. Bevan S. Economic impact of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) on work in Europe. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015;29(3):356–73.
6. Soltani R, et al. The welders posture assessment by OWAS technique. Occup Med Q J. 2011;3(1):34–9.
7. Richardson A, et al. Interventions to prevent and reduce the impact of musculoskeletal injuries among nurses: a systematic review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2018;82:58–67.
8. Bernard BP. A critical review of epidemiological evidence for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, upper extremity and low back. Musculoskelet Disord Workplace Factors. 1997.
9. Da Costa BR, Vieira ER. Risk factors for work‐related musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review of recent longitudinal studies. Am J Ind Med. 2010;53(3):285–323.
10. Moom RK, Sing LP, Moom N. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder among computer bank office employees in Punjab (India): a case study. Procedia Manuf. 2015;3:6624–31.
11. Devereux JJ, Vlachonikolis I, Buckle P. Epidemiological study to investigate potential interaction between physical and psychosocial factors at work that may increase the risk of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorder of the neck and upper limb. Occup Environ Med. 2002;59(4):269–77.
12. Besharati A, et al. Work-related musculoskeletal problems and associated factors among office workers. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2020;26(3):632–8.
13. Beaton DE, et al. Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25(24):3186–91.
14. Saberipour B, et al. Investigating prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among Iranian nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Epidemiol Glob Health. 2019;7(3):513–8.
15. Nützi M, et al. Work–family conflict, task interruptions, and influence at work predict musculoskeletal pain in operating room nurses. Saf Health Work. 2015;6(4):329–37.
16. Shahijani G, et al. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among the surgical and anesthesia technologists in selected hospitals of Isfahan in 2018. J Adv Biomed Sci. 2020;10(1):1943–50.
17. Omer SR, et al. Musculoskeletal system disorders in computer users: effectiveness of training and exercise programs. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2004;17(1):9–13.
18. Sihawong R, et al. Exercise therapy for office workers with nonspecific neck pain: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011;34(1):62–71.
19. Sihawong R, Janwantanakul P, Jiamjarasrangsi W. A prospective, cluster-randomized controlled trial of exercise program to prevent low back pain in office workers. Eur Spine J. 2014;23:786–93.
20. Ma C, et al. Comparing biofeedback with active exercise and passive treatment for the management of work-related neck and shoulder pain: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011;92(6):849–58.
21. Abdollahi T, et al. Effect of an ergonomics educational program on musculoskeletal disorders in nursing staff working in the operating room: a quasi-randomized controlled clinical trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(19):7333.
22. Crawford JO. The Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. Occup Med (Lond). 2007;57(4):300–1.
23. Namnik N, et al. Validity and reliability of Persian version of the Specific Nordic questionnaire in Iranian industrial workers. Work. 2016;54(1):35–41.
24. Corlett EN, Bishop RP. A technique for assessing postural discomfort. Ergonomics. 1976;19(2):175–82.
25. Alinezhad A, et al. Comparative study of the saddle chair with two other conventional types of chair on the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and perceived comfort in dentists. Occup Med (Lond). 2023.
26. Kisner C, Colby LA. Therapeutic exercise: foundations and techniques. 5th ed. Philadelphia: FA Davis Company; 2002.
27. Hess JA, Hecker S. Stretching at work for injury prevention: issues, evidence, and recommendations. Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 2003;18(5):331–8.
28. Jafari B, Yousef Pour AR, Naji M. The effect of a corrective exercise course on the musculoskeletal disorders of a military unit soldiers. J Mil Med. 2022;22(3):235–43.
29. Saremi M, Lahmi M, Faghihzadeh S. The effect of ergonomic intervention on dentists’ musculoskeletal disorders. 2006.
30. Hallbeck M, et al. The impact of intraoperative microbreaks with exercises on surgeons: a multi-center cohort study. Appl Ergon. 2017;60:334–41.
2. Denis D, et al. Intervention practices in musculoskeletal disorder prevention: a critical literature review. Appl Ergon. 2008;39(1):1–14.
3. Maakip I, Keegel T, Oakman J. Prevalence and predictors for musculoskeletal discomfort in Malaysian office workers: investigating explanatory factors for a developing country. Appl Ergon. 2016;53:252–7.
4. Maakip I, Keegel T, Oakman J. Predictors of musculoskeletal discomfort: a cross-cultural comparison between Malaysian and Australian office workers. Appl Ergon. 2017;60:52–7.
5. Bevan S. Economic impact of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) on work in Europe. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015;29(3):356–73.
6. Soltani R, et al. The welders posture assessment by OWAS technique. Occup Med Q J. 2011;3(1):34–9.
7. Richardson A, et al. Interventions to prevent and reduce the impact of musculoskeletal injuries among nurses: a systematic review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2018;82:58–67.
8. Bernard BP. A critical review of epidemiological evidence for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, upper extremity and low back. Musculoskelet Disord Workplace Factors. 1997.
9. Da Costa BR, Vieira ER. Risk factors for work‐related musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review of recent longitudinal studies. Am J Ind Med. 2010;53(3):285–323.
10. Moom RK, Sing LP, Moom N. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder among computer bank office employees in Punjab (India): a case study. Procedia Manuf. 2015;3:6624–31.
11. Devereux JJ, Vlachonikolis I, Buckle P. Epidemiological study to investigate potential interaction between physical and psychosocial factors at work that may increase the risk of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorder of the neck and upper limb. Occup Environ Med. 2002;59(4):269–77.
12. Besharati A, et al. Work-related musculoskeletal problems and associated factors among office workers. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2020;26(3):632–8.
13. Beaton DE, et al. Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25(24):3186–91.
14. Saberipour B, et al. Investigating prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among Iranian nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Epidemiol Glob Health. 2019;7(3):513–8.
15. Nützi M, et al. Work–family conflict, task interruptions, and influence at work predict musculoskeletal pain in operating room nurses. Saf Health Work. 2015;6(4):329–37.
16. Shahijani G, et al. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among the surgical and anesthesia technologists in selected hospitals of Isfahan in 2018. J Adv Biomed Sci. 2020;10(1):1943–50.
17. Omer SR, et al. Musculoskeletal system disorders in computer users: effectiveness of training and exercise programs. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2004;17(1):9–13.
18. Sihawong R, et al. Exercise therapy for office workers with nonspecific neck pain: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011;34(1):62–71.
19. Sihawong R, Janwantanakul P, Jiamjarasrangsi W. A prospective, cluster-randomized controlled trial of exercise program to prevent low back pain in office workers. Eur Spine J. 2014;23:786–93.
20. Ma C, et al. Comparing biofeedback with active exercise and passive treatment for the management of work-related neck and shoulder pain: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011;92(6):849–58.
21. Abdollahi T, et al. Effect of an ergonomics educational program on musculoskeletal disorders in nursing staff working in the operating room: a quasi-randomized controlled clinical trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(19):7333.
22. Crawford JO. The Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. Occup Med (Lond). 2007;57(4):300–1.
23. Namnik N, et al. Validity and reliability of Persian version of the Specific Nordic questionnaire in Iranian industrial workers. Work. 2016;54(1):35–41.
24. Corlett EN, Bishop RP. A technique for assessing postural discomfort. Ergonomics. 1976;19(2):175–82.
25. Alinezhad A, et al. Comparative study of the saddle chair with two other conventional types of chair on the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and perceived comfort in dentists. Occup Med (Lond). 2023.
26. Kisner C, Colby LA. Therapeutic exercise: foundations and techniques. 5th ed. Philadelphia: FA Davis Company; 2002.
27. Hess JA, Hecker S. Stretching at work for injury prevention: issues, evidence, and recommendations. Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 2003;18(5):331–8.
28. Jafari B, Yousef Pour AR, Naji M. The effect of a corrective exercise course on the musculoskeletal disorders of a military unit soldiers. J Mil Med. 2022;22(3):235–43.
29. Saremi M, Lahmi M, Faghihzadeh S. The effect of ergonomic intervention on dentists’ musculoskeletal disorders. 2006.
30. Hallbeck M, et al. The impact of intraoperative microbreaks with exercises on surgeons: a multi-center cohort study. Appl Ergon. 2017;60:334–41.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 15 No 4 (2023) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| Published | 2025-08-30 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Ergonomics training sports training musculoskeletal disorders operating room technicians | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
|
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
Abbaszadeh M, Akbari M, Garosi E, Khanehshenas F, Ghasemi MS. Effectiveness of Exercise Program Interventions in Reducing Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Operating Room Technicians. Int J Occup Hyg. 2025;15(4):44-53.
