Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 21, 2011; 17(11): 1488-1493
Published online Mar 21, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i11.1488
Prevalence and impact of musculoskeletal pain in Japanese gastrointestinal endoscopists: A controlled study
Takayasu Kuwabara, Yuji Urabe, Toru Hiyama, Shinji Tanaka, Takako Shimomura, Shiro Oko, Masaharu Yoshihara, Kazuaki Chayama
Takayasu Kuwabara, Yuji Urabe, Takako Shimomura, Kazuaki Chayama, Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima 739-8514, Japan
Toru Hiyama, Masaharu Yoshihara, Health Service Center, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8514, Japan
Shiro Oko, Shinji Tanaka, Department of Endoscopy, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima 739-8514, Japan
Author contributions: Kuwabara T designed the study, performed the data compiling and wrote the manuscript; Urabe Y designed the study and performed the data compiling, Hiyama T, Tanaka S, Shimomura T and Oka S were involved in editing the manuscript; Yoshihara M performed the statistical analysis; Chayama K organized the study.
Correspondence to: Toru Hiyama, MD, PhD, Health Service Center, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 739-8514, Japan. tohiyama@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-82-4246191    Fax: +81-82-4227156
Received: September 9, 2010
Revised: December 1, 2010
Accepted: December 8, 2010
Published online: March 21, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To examine the frequency and prevention of musculoskeletal pain in Japanese gastrointestinal endoscopists and non-endoscopist physicians.

METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to 275 endoscopists and 173 non-endoscopists working in Hiroshima University Hospital and its affiliated hospitals.

RESULTS: The completed questionnaires were returned by 190 (69%) endoscopists and 120 (69%) non-endoscopists. The frequency of pain in the hand and wrist, and especially the left thumb, was significantly higher in endoscopists than in non-endoscopists (17% vs 6%, P = 0.004). Using multivariate analysis, the only significant factor associated with this pain was the age of the endoscopist (odds ratio 2.77, 95% confidence interval, 1.23-6.71, P = 0.018). Interestingly, endoscopists had made significantly fewer modifications to their endoscopic practices than non-endoscopists (12% vs 33%, P < 0.0001) to prevent pain.

CONCLUSION: Pain in the hand and wrist may be endoscopy-related. However, endoscopists made little modifications in practice to prevent such pain. More attention to prevention appears necessary.

Keywords: Endoscopy; Musculoskeletal pain; Pain prevention