Abstract Background and Objective: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are common in nursing professionals as it is a physically demanding job. Some common risk factors causing workrelated musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are activities such as prolonged standing in one place, lifting or transferring heavy patients, and maintaining long periods of body awkward positions. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of physical job demands and neck and shoulder WMSDs in nurses. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, 100 nurses from various hospitals were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. The research procedure was explained to the subjects and written consent was collected. The subjects reported their choices on a self-analytical physical demands’ analysis form depicting their workrelated activities and frequency level and also mark the intensity of pain on numeric pain rating scale, if present, for neck and each shoulder joint respectively. Goniometric assessment of neck and shoulder joints were done to analyse the effect of pain on Range of Motion. Odds Ratio (95% Con dence Interval) was used for data analysis. Results: The results showed that there is signi cant association between high physical demands with neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders as compared to low physical demands depicted by higher odds ratio ranging between 1.03–1.93. The physical activity “Maintaining long periods of body awkward position” resulted in higher OR for neck pain (OR- 1.58) and right shoulder pain (OR- 1.93). Highest OR for left shoulder pain (OR- 1.61) was highlighted in the physical activity “lifting/moving heavy loads”. Conclusion: The study concluded that there is association between physical job demands and WMSDs of neck and shoulder joints respectively and there is also requirement to adopt corrective measures to prevent them in nurses for a quality patient care.
Keywords: Musculoskeletal Disorders; WMSDs–Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders; OR – Odds Ratio