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©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2008; 14(27): 4359-4364
Published online Jul 21, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.4359
Procedure-related musculoskeletal symptoms in gastrointestinal endoscopists in Korea
Young Hye Byun, Jun Haeng Lee, Moon Kyung Park, Ji Hyun Song, Byung-Hoon Min, Dong Kyung Chang, Young-Ho Kim, Hee Jung Son, Poong-Lyul Rhee, Jae J Kim, Jong Chul Rhee, Ji Hye Hwang, Dong Il Park, Sang Goon Shim, In Kyung Sung
Young Hye Byun, Jun Haeng Lee, Moon Kyung Park, Ji Hyun Song, Byung-Hoon Min, Dong Kyung Chang, Young-Ho Kim, Hee Jung Son, Poong-Lyul Rhee, Jae J Kim, Jong Chul Rhee, Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 135-710, South Korea
Ji Hye Hwang, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 135-710, South Korea
Dong Il Park, Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul 110-746, South Korea
Sang Goon Shim, Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Masan Samsung Hospital, Masan 630-723, South Korea
In Kyung Sung, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University College of Medicine, Seoul 143-729, South Korea
Author contributions: Byun YH and Lee JH contributed equally to this work; Byun YH, Lee JH, Park MK and Hwang JH designed research; Byun YH, Lee JH, Park MK, Song JH, Min BH, Chang DK, Kim YH, Son HJ, Rhee PL, Kim JJ, Park DI, Shim SG, Rhee JC and Sung IK performed research; Byun YH and Lee JH analyzed data; Byun YH and Lee JH wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Jun Haeng Lee, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Irwon-Dong 50, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-710, South Korea. stomachlee@skku.edu
Telephone: +82-2-3410-3409
Fax: +82-2-3410-6983
Received: December 5, 2007
Revised: June 23, 2008
Accepted: June 30, 2008
Published online: July 21, 2008
AIM: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in gastrointestinal endoscopists in Korea.
METHODS: A survey of musculoskeletal symptoms, using a self-administered questionnaire, was conducted on 55 endoscopists practicing in general hospitals or health promotion centers.
RESULTS: Forty-nine (89.1%) endoscopists reported musculoskeletal pain on at least one anatomic location and 37 (67.3%) endoscopists complained of pain at rest. Twenty-six (47.3%) endoscopists had severe musculoskeletal pain defined as a visual analogue score greater than 5.5. Factors related to the development of severe pain were (1) standing position during upper endoscopy, (2) specific posture/habit during endoscopic procedures, and (3) multiple symptomatic areas. Finger pain was more common in beginners, whereas shoulder pain was more common in experienced endoscopists. Sixteen percent of symptomatic endoscopists have modified their practice or reduced the number of endoscopic examinations. Only a few symptomatic endoscopists had sought professional consultation with related specialists.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in endoscopists is very high. The location of pain was different between beginners and experienced endoscopists. Measures for the prevention and adequate management of endoscopy-related musculoskeletal symptoms are necessary.
