Investigation of Musculoskeletal Deformities Prevalence and its Correlation with Working Experience in Male Nurses in a Military Medical Center, Tehran, 2019

Background and Aim: The relatively high prevalence of structural deformities and the importance of timely detection of these abnormalities are essential in preventing future injuries to employees in any organization. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal deformities and its correlation with working experience in male nurses in a military medical center in 2019.
Methods: This study was a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted on 159 male nurses, which they working in different parts of a military medical center in Tehran, Iran in 2019. Purposeful sampling was performed, and 104 nurses with forward head position and kyphotic abnormalities were included. The tools used in this study were: Personal information questionnaire (Age, Height, Weight, BMI, Work experience, Hours of work, and Workplace center), Flexible ruler and goniometer (for measuring forward head and kyphosis angles). Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 23 at the significance level P < span dir="RTL">≥0.05.
Results: Of the 159 military nurses, 104 nurses participated with an average age of 35.6±9 years and 14.8±9 years of work experience. The prevalence of forward head position and kyphosis deformities was 28.93% and 36.47%, respectively. The results also showed a positive correlation between work experience with forward head position (P=0.020, r=0.290) and hyper kyphosis (P=0.003, r=0.228).
Conclusion: The results indicate a relatively high prevalence of forward head position and kyphotic deformities among military nurses. Statistically, the prevalence of these deformities was significantly higher in nurses with more work experience. Therefore, it is necessary to first identify the factors affecting the occurrence of these deformities and then to remove or correct them and in the second to focus on the correction of these deformities.