Work related musculoskeletal disorders among dermatologists: A review

Background

Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD's) is an entity that includes conditions and diseases that are caused or aggravated by a person's workplace conditions. Multiple studies have been published regarding WRMSD's affecting physicians among different specialties; however the prevalence and nature of WRMSD's affecting dermatologists is unknown.

Methods

The electronic database MEDLINE was searched through PubMed and the google scholar platform in February 2022 using the following search terms: “dermatologists AND work related musculoskeletal disorders”, “dermatologists AND ergonomics”, as well as “physicians AND work related musculoskeletal disorders”. All articles involving dermatologists or dermatology residents were included in this study.

Results

Our search revealed that WRMSD's among dermatologists were assessed in 11 Articles. However, Most literature addressing the topic of WRMSD's among dermatologists is focused on Mohs surgeons with only one article discussing dermatologists in general. The main complaints were pain and stiffness involving the neck, shoulders, and the lumbar area of the back, respectively.

Conclusion

Dermatologists in general are more likely to develop WRMSD's due to the nature of their work and the procedures they perform. However, there are very few articles published regarding this matter, and consequently, little is known about the WRMDs that affect dermatologists and the ergonomic solutions that could be applied to prevent them.