Rossettini Giacomo, Rondoni Angie, Schiavetti Irene, Tezza Sonia, Testa Marco
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Campus of Savona, Italy.
Department of Health Sciences, Biologist Biostatistic, University of Genova - Biostatistics Unit, Genova, Italy.
Work. 2016 Apr 7;54(1):159-69. doi: 10.3233/WOR-162289.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) affect physical therapists with loss of health status and social costs. MSD is a relevant problem in upper limb extremities, especially when associated with manual techniques.
The study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with thumb pain in Italian physiotherapists who perform manual therapy.
A self-administered questionnaire was sent by email, exploring demographics, thumb mobility, job, thumb pain, manual techniques, aggravating factors, management strategies and consequences of thumb pain.
The survey was sent to 523 manual therapists, 219 of which fully completed it. 49.3% of respondents experienced thumb pain at least once in the previous 12 months and 70.8% at least once in their lifetime. Statistically significant associations suggest that within 12 months manual therapists with more than 5 years of experience are less likely to report thumb pain (6-10 years of work: OR = 0.408, 95% CI: 0.215-0.775; 11-20 years of work: OR = 0.346, 95% CI: 0.139-0.859), whereas those who performs trigger point pressure release (OR = 1.832, 95% CI: 1.005-3.340), trigger point ischemic compression (OR = 2.999, 95% CI: 1.184-7.597) and fascial neuro-connective manipulation (OR = 3.086, 95% CI: 1.346-7.077) are more likely to experience it. In terms of lifetime prevalence, female manual therapists and those who perform trigger point ischemic compression are more likely to suffer from thumb pain (females: OR = 2.569, 95% CI: 1.339-4.930; trigger point ischemic compression: OR = 2.878, 95% CI: 1.319-6.281).
Special attention should be paid to prevention during manual skills training, since inexperience exposes manual therapist to a higher risk of developing thumb pain.
与工作相关的肌肉骨骼疾病（WMSDs）会影响物理治疗师的健康状况并造成社会成本损失。肌肉骨骼疾病是上肢的一个相关问题，尤其是与手法治疗相关时。
本研究旨在调查意大利从事手法治疗的物理治疗师中拇指疼痛的患病率及相关危险因素。
通过电子邮件发送一份自填式问卷，内容涵盖人口统计学信息、拇指活动度、工作、拇指疼痛、手法治疗技术、加重因素、管理策略以及拇指疼痛的后果。
该调查问卷发送给了523名手法治疗师，其中219人完整填写了问卷。49.3%的受访者在过去12个月中至少经历过一次拇指疼痛，70.8%的受访者一生中至少经历过一次。具有统计学意义的关联表明，在12个月内，工作超过5年的手法治疗师报告拇指疼痛的可能性较小（工作6 - 10年：OR = 0.408，95%CI：0.215 - 0.775；工作11 - 20年：OR = 0.346，95%CI：0.139 - 0.859），而进行触发点压力释放（OR = 1.832，95%CI：1.005 - 3.340）、触发点缺血性按压（OR = 2.999，95%CI：1.184 - 7.597）和筋膜神经 - 结缔组织手法治疗（OR = 3.086，95%CI：1.346 - 7.077）的治疗师更有可能经历拇指疼痛。就终生患病率而言，女性手法治疗师和进行触发点缺血性按压的治疗师更易患拇指疼痛（女性：OR = 2.569，95%CI：1.339 - 4.930；触发点缺血性按压：OR = 2.878，95%CI：1.319 - 6.281）。
在手法技能培训期间应特别注意预防，因为经验不足会使手法治疗师面临更高的拇指疼痛发病风险。
