title: Musculoskeletal disorders among nurses compared with two other occupational groups.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a high incidence of low back pain (LBP) among nurses. However, few longitudinal studies have investigated musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) at other anatomical sites in nurses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the cumulative incidence and persistence/recurrence of MSDs of the low back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand and knee among New Zealand nurses, to investigate the impact of MSDs on work and functional tasks and to compare findings for nurses with those in postal workers and office workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed a postal survey at baseline and again 1 year later. Information was collected about MSDs in the previous 1 month and 12 months and about the ability to attend work, undertake work duties and perform functional tasks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among nurses, the low back was the site with the highest cumulative incidence and highest prevalence of persistent/recurrent, work-disabling and functional-task-disabling pain. Work-disabling LBP was more prevalent among nurses and postal workers than office workers (P < 0.001). Nurses had a substantial prevalence of work-disabling shoulder pain (10%) and functional-task-disabling knee (19%) and wrist/hand pain (16%). With the exception of the elbow, each occupational group had a high prevalence of persistent/recurrent MSDs at all anatomical sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LBP continues to have a substantial impact among nurses. Other less commonly considered MSDs, such as shoulder, wrist/hand and knee pain, also made work or functional tasks difficult, suggesting that primary and secondary prevention efforts should consider MSDs at other anatomical sites as well as the low back.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Musculoskeletal Outcomes Research, Department of Surgical Sciences, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand, Injury Prevention Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand, helen.harcombe@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harcombe
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Herbison
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand, Health, Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, School of Health and Social Services, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Derrett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace
keywords: Incidence; longitudinal studies; musculoskeletal pain; nurses; occupational disease; occupational exposure; office workers; pain; postal workers.