Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Dental Practitioners in Nellore City: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Literature reviews over the world have shown a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among dental practitioners. As a result, they commonly experience musculoskeletal pain during the course of their careers and often have to limit or even abandon their professional activities. This has a negative impact on their finance and even on their healthy life. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence and distribution of MSDs among dental practitioners in Nellore city of Andhra Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using the Standard Nordic Questionnaire for MSDs. All the dental practitioners in Nellore city who were registered in the state dental council and are members of Indian Dental Association were included in the study. Results: Neck pain (57.5%) is the most prevalent MSD followed by lower back pain, and wrists and upper back trouble. Elbow pain, lower back, knee, and foot/ankle trouble were more common among males than females and this difference was found to be statistically significant. Neck-related MSDs have shown more amount of reduction in working hours (17.0%) and leisure activity (9.4%) and more doctor consultations (11.3%). Conclusion: High prevalence of MSDs exists among the dental practitioners. There is a need for the integration of ergonomic awareness and health promotion with the professional practice for dentists.