The Effects of Workload-Related Musculoskeletal Injuries of Physiotherapists on Health Care Delivery

Aim: Assessing the impact of musculoskeletal injuries associated with workloads on sustainability of qualified healthcare and physiotherapist’ on the right to work in healthy conditions. Material and Methods: Questionnaire consisting of 4 sections was used. Independent variables (gender-age-institution-physiotherapy area-service time-weekly average direct contact time-daily average number of patients, patient group), occupational-related musculoskeletal injury, factors affecting injury, effect of previous/potential injury on healthcare constituted the content. 142 questionnaires evaluated (Participation rate 61.47%). Appropriate statistical tests were used in analyzing data. Results: 51.8% work in the field of general physiotherapy. Mostly group A patients are being served (92.2%). Patient groups ranking that forced musculoskeletal system is A-B-C-D (71%). Having musculoskeletal injuries at least once considered to be related to profession is 71.6%. Injury rates are higher in women (%60.4). Most injuries occur in lumbal/sacral region (60.4%). Patient group (89.8%), weekly average direct contact time (85.6%), daily average number of patients (76.3%) were reported to be effective on their injuries. Percentage of those who think about changing physiotherapy area and want to leave their profession with due to an existing/possible occupational injury is 49.3%, 28.2% respectively. Effects of injuries on healthcare were expressed as direct contact times (46.7%), number (26.4%) and type of exercise (25.5%), observation time (15.7%). These rates are higher in women. Conclusion: Patient group, prolonged direct contact and number of patients lead to an increase in workload and cause musculoskeletal injury correlated with profession. This should be considered as factors that violate patient's need to provide quality healthcare based on obligation to healthcare and violate the right of physiotherapists to work under healthy conditions