title: Work-related exposures and disorders among physical therapists: experiences and beliefs of professional representatives assessed using a qualitative approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  According to international study results, physical therapists are afflicted with work-related musculoskeletal, psychosocial and dermal disorders as well as infections. The few existing studies in German-speaking regions focus mainly on dermal and psychosocial exposures and resulting complaints. An overview of all relevant work-related exposures and complaints of physical therapists is currently lacking. We sought to identify work-related exposures based on the subjective experiences and beliefs of physiotherapeutic representatives, in order to identify relevant work-related complaints and diseases. Likewise we aimed to compare the international evidence with the actual situation of physical therapists in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two complementary qualitative approaches were used: 1) a focus group discussion with representatives of professional physiotherapy associations as well as health and safety stakeholders and 2) qualitative semi-structured telephone interviews incorporating currently employed physical therapists. The group discussion was conducted applying a moderation technique, and interviews were analyzed using the content analysis approach by Mayring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The focus group discussion with five participants and the 40 semi-structured interviews with physical therapists identified comparable results. The main exposures of physiotherapeutic work were considered to be musculoskeletal (e.g., awkward body postures during treatment, patient transfers, passive mobilization), psychosocial (e.g., statutory audit of prescriptions and the associated conflicts with doctors and health insurance providers) and partly dermal and infectious (e.g., wet work and risk of infection) factors. Diseases of the spine, wrist or finger joints, burnout syndrome and infections were mentioned as possible consequences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The subjective data generated by both groups (focus group discussion and interviews) were comparable and consistent with the current state of research. The results provide new insight regarding work-related exposures and diseases of physical therapists working in Germany. These findings aided the design of a German-wide representative survey of practicing physical therapists.
authors.affiliation: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Girbig
authors.affiliation: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Freiberg
authors.affiliation: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deckert
authors.affiliation: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Druschke
authors.affiliation: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kopkow
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nienhaus
authors.affiliation: Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seidler
keywords: Occupational diseases; Occupational health; Physical therapist; Qualitative research