CORRELATION OF ERGONOMIC RISKS AND UPPER EXTREMITY MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG SMARTPHONE USER MEDICAL STUDENTS.
Abstract
Background: The number of smartphone users is increasing globally. Smartphone users adopt awkward postures and they have high ergonomic risk levels when using their smartphones. Rapid Upper Limb Assessment Scale (RULA) is a screening tool based on observation, used to assess exposure to load factors due to posture of neck, trunk and upper limb along with muscle use and forces. The smartphone users have highest prevalence of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. Standard Nordic Questionnaire is self-reported questionnaire is used to survey musculoskeletal disorders.
Objective: To study correlation between ergonomic risks and upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders among smartphone user medical students.
Material and Method: 50 participants from Rural Medical College, Loni were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were asked to fill Standard Nordic Questionnaire which is used to assess upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders and then they were given a smartphone texting task for 5 minutes and were video recorded during the task. The video recording was further evaluated by two investigators to assess the ergonomic risks using RULA.
Result: Smartphone users in the current study adopted awkward postures, and they all had high ergonomic risk levels when using their smartphones. There was correlation between RULA Score and Standard Nordic Questionnaire using Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient test in which r value is 0.09860 and p value is 0.0264; which indicated significant.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that there was significant correlation between ergonomic risks and upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders among smartphone user medical students.
Keywords: Ergonomic risks, Upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders, Smartphone users, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment Scale (RULA), Standard Nordic Questionnaire.
