Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Discomfort in Veterinary Surgeons – Cross-Sectional Survey. Kim SY1, Yu D2, Simons M3, Breur GY1. 1Purdue University, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, West Lafayette, IN; 2Purdue University, School of Industrial Engineering, West Lafayette, IN; 3Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN.
Musculoskeletal fatigue and injuries are prevalent among human surgeons and veterinarians. To date, no data exists for veterinary surgeons who are likely to be exposed to common risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). To quantify ergonomic risks for MSD in veterinary surgeons, an online survey was developed and distributed to ACVS Diplomates. Responses were collected with data regarding surgical activities, experience with various types of MSDs in different body sites, and attempts to reduce MSD. There were 219 respondents estimated to 19.6% of the population of ACVS Diplomates. Seventy percent of respondents had experienced MSD related to surgery which worsened with prolonged surgical hours, and 41.8% suffer from chronic pain persisting longer than 24 hours after surgeries. Fifty-one percent of respondents had taken medication, and 36.6% sought physical therapy, and 40% ignored the pain. Variables such as species of focus, frequency of minimally invasive surgery, and years of surgical practice were not associated with the prevalence of MSD. Although the survey results did not determine risk factors of MSD, the results documented that MSD is common in veterinary surgeons and warrants longitudinal clinical studies.