Volume : 6, Issue : 4, APR 2020

AN OWAS BASED ANALYSIS OF PHYSIOTHERAPIST WORKING POSTURES

VIMAL TYAGI

Abstract

Objective: To identify the harmful working postures for the physiotherapist while performing activities at various activities at various clinical and hospital setup. Design: An observational study design. Methodology: 60 physiotherapists out of 100 are included after fulfilling the inclusion criteria of involvement in direct patient care at least 1r/week at their primary position & were members of IAP. Procedure: Minimum time taken was 10 min. per subjects. Assessment was done; basic activities distinguished for the OSWAS analysis like patient transfer, positioning, passive ROM, joint mobilization & manipulation. Subjects were equally divided for workgroup analysis i.e, 12 for each workgroup. Subjects working posture were recorded by using video recorder or in assessment form i.e, OSWAS posture code information. Result: reveals that subject doing task like patient transfer (45%), manipulation (27%), & mobilization (27%) which comes under action category 3 & 4 respectively have higher involvement of working load & are more prone to work related musculoskeletal disorder as compare to patient positioning & patient PROM activities.

Keywords

Article : Download PDF

Cite This Article

Article No : 1

Number of Downloads : 529

References

  1. J.A. Engels et al, - An OWAS – based analysis of nurses; working postures. Ergonomics, 1994, 37 (5): 909-919.
  2. Current technique for assessing physical exposure to work related musculoskeletal risks, with emphasis on posture based methods. Ergonomics, 1999, 42. (5) 674-695.
  3. Observation of working postures in garages using the Ovako Working Postural Analyzing System (OWAS) and consequent workload reduction recommendations. Ergonomics, 1990. 33(2), 209-220.
  4. Postural discomfort and perceived exertion in standardized box-holding posture. Ergonomics, 2001, 44 (15) 1341 – 1367.
  5. Bork BE, Cook TM, Rosecrance JC, et al. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Physical therapists. Physical Therapy.1996; 76:827–835.
  6. Cromie JE et al, Work – related musculoskeletal disorders affected members of the Charted Society of physiotherapy. Physiotherapy 2005. 91, 138 – 147.
  7. West DJ. Gardner d. Occupational injuries of physiotherapists in North and Central Queensland. Aus J Physiotherapy. 2001 47: 179 -186.
  8. Holder NL, Clark HA, DiBlasio JM, et al. Cause, prevalence, and response to occupational musculoskeletal injuries reported by physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.Phys Ther.1999; 79:642–652.
  9. Cromie JE, Robertson VJ, Best MO. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in physical therapists: prevalence, severity, risks, and responses. Phys Ther.2000; 80:336–351.
  10. Mierzejewski M, Kumar S. Prevalence of low back pain among physical therapists in Edmonton, Canada. Disabil Rehabil.1997; 19:309–317.
  11. Molumphy M, Unger B, Jensen GM, Lopopolo RB. Incidence of work-related low back pain in physical therapists. Phys Ther.1985; 65:482–486.
  12. Holder NL, Clark HA, DiBlasio JM, et al. Cause, prevalence, and response to occupational musculoskeletal injuries reported by physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.Phys Ther.1999; 79:642–652.
  13. Scholey M, Hair M. Back pain in physiotherapists involved in back care education. Ergonomics.1989; 32:179–190.
  14. Richardson B. Professional education and professional practice today: do they match? Physiotherapy.1992; 78:23–26
  15. Beeston S, Simons H. Physiotherapy practice: practitioners' perspectives. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice.1996; 12:231–242.
  16. Jensen GM, Gwyer J, Hack LM, Shepard KF. Expertise in Physical Therapy Practice. Boston, Mass: Butterworth-Heinemann;1999 :294.
  17. Guide to Physical Therapist Practice. Phys Ther.2001; 81:9–744.
  18. Jensen GM, Gwyer J, Shepard KF, Hack LM. Expert practice in physical therapy. Phys Ther.2000; 80:28–52.
  19. Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in the United States by Industry, 1992. Washington, DC: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics; 1992.
  20. Stellman JM. Safety in the health care industry. Occup Health Nurs.1982; 30:17–21.
  21. Nelson ML, Olson DK. Health care worker incidents reported in a rural health care facility: a descriptive study. AAOHN J.1996; 44:115–122.
  22. Bork BE, Cook TM, Rosecrance JH, et al. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among physical therapists. Phys Ther.1996; 76:827–835.
  23. Correcting working postures in industry: A practical method for analysis Osmo Karhu, Pekka Kansi and Iikka Kuorinka-Department manager, OVAKO Oy, Helsinki, Finland, Available online 18 February 2003.
  24. Sue Hignett, Fitting the work to the Physiotherapist - Physiotherapy, 81,( 9),1995, 549-552.
  25. S. Pinzke, and L. Kopp, Marker-less systems for tracking working postures—results from two experiments.- Division of Work Science, Department of Agricultural Biosystems and Technology, Swedish & Cognitive Science, Lund University, Kungshuset, Lundagård, Available online 2 August 2001.
  26. Postural assessment with revised OWAS system (a) School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China JKZ@263.net (b) Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety and Health, Hopkinton, MA, USA
  27. Macro Campo et al. Work – Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Physical Therapists: A Prospective Cohort Study With 1 – year Follow up. Physical Therapy 2008; (88) 609 – 619.
  28. A. R. Ismail et al. Assessment of Postural Loading among the Assembly Operators: A Case Study at Malaysian Automotive Industry. European Journal of Scientific ResearchISSN 1450-216X Vol.30 No.2 (2009), .224-235
  29. Tampere University of Technogy, Occupational Safety Engineering. 1996. WinOWAS user’s manual. http://turva1.me.tut.fi/owas/ [22 July 2007].
  30. Wajon A, Ada L. Prevalence of thumb pain in physical therapists practicing spinal manipulative therapy. J Hand Ther. 2003; 16:237–244.
  31. Snodgrass SJ, Rivett DA, Chiarelli P, et al.Factors related to thumb pain in physiotherapists. Aust J Physiother. 2003;49: 243–250.
  32. P.Kivi & M.Mattila. 1991. Analysis and improvement of work postures in the building industry: application of the computerized OWAS method. Applied Ergonomics, 22.1: 43-48
  33. Oregon OSHA. 2007. Introduction to Ergonomics, Http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/pdf/workshops/201w.pdf. [22 Julai 2007].
  34. Cornell University Ergonomics Web. Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaires (English).http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/Pub/AHquest/mmsquest.pdf [5 August 2007]