A Comparative Study on the Risk Factors of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Laparoscopic Surgical Technologists in Circulatory and Scrub Roles

Abstract

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are of the most important occupational injuries and diseases, in which the work environment and individual activities play an essential role in their prevalence. Since laparoscopy has become a preferred approach to treating many of the actions, the aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among laparoscopic surgery technologists and comparing them between circulatory and scrubbing roles. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, 49 participants were evaluated by REBA method in Al-zahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, 2017. Data was collected through REBA form and analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Results: 94% of our samples were women mostly married with an age range of 32/17 years. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was 98.87% with a mean overall risk of 7.2 ± 0.75 in the role of circulatory and 5.31 ± 0.63 in the role of scrub. Conclusion: Considering the fact that surgical technologists are at risk due to the nature of their job and to promote their health, ergonomic interventions are critically suggested for equipment, tools and environments as well as including ergonomics in their educational curriculum and regular exercise programs.