Work-related musculoskeletal complaints in massage practitioners

Abstract

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal complaints (WMSCs) are induced or aggravated by work activities and/or work conditions.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the impact of work as a massage practitioner, with a special emphasis on WMSCs.

Methods: Massage practitioners were invited to participate in the study through an advert in the rehabilitation medical clinics. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, collecting general data and questions about WMSCs.

Results: Thirty-seven subjects (88.09%) reported pain in at least one body part in the last 4 weeks. The most common WMSCs was pain in the neck region (69.04%), followed by pain in the shoulder region (54.76%), upper back (52.38%), lower back (40.48%), wrist-hand (33.33%) and elbow (21.43%). The massage practitioners aged between 21 and 30 years old reported significantly more frequently WMSCs localized in neck, shoulders, wrist-hand, upper back and lower back.

Conclusions: This study shows that WMSCs are widely reported among massage practitioners. The most common complaints were reported in the neck and shoulder regions, especially in younger massage practitioners.

Keywords: Musculoskeletal pain; health workers; massage therapist.