Table 3 Characteristics of WMSDs among physical therapists working in Kuwait
| Â | Neck | Shoulder | Elbow | Hand/Wrist | Upper back | Lower back | Hip/thigh | Knee | Ankle/feet | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
Longest spell (days) | ||||||||||||||||||
   1 to 7 | 59 | 65.6 | 21 | 48.8 | 2 | 18.2 | 15 | 55.5 | 32 | 59.3 | 51 | 52.6 | 7 | 50.0 | 25 | 67.6 | 13 | 54.2 |
   8 to 21 | 17 | 18.9 | 7 | 16.3 | 7 | 63.6 | 2 | 7.4 | 8 | 14.8 | 18 | 18.6 | 4 | 28.6 | 8 | 21.6 | 3 | 12.5 |
   22 to 30 | 4 | 4.4 | 2 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11.1 | 2 | 3.7 | 8 | 8.2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.7 | 4 | 16.7 |
   31 to 93 | 2 | 2.2 | 4 | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 18.5 | 3 | 5.6 | 5 | 5.2 | 1 | 7.1 | 2 | 5.4 | 3 | 12.5 |
   94+ | 8 | 8.9 | 9 | 20.9 | 2 | 18.2 | 2 | 7.4 | 3 | 16.7 | 15 | 15.5 | 2 | 14.3 | 1 | 2.7 | 1 | 4.2 |
Total length of spell (days) | ||||||||||||||||||
   < 28 | 61 | 67.8 | 22 | 51.2 | 7 | 63.6 | 14 | 53.8 | 34 | 64.2 | 57 | 58.8 | 9 | 64.3 | 27 | 73.0 | 14 | 58.3 |
   29 to 93 | 12 | 13.3 | 9 | 20.9 | 1 | 9.1 | 9 | 34.6 | 5 | 9.4 | 18 | 18.6 | 2 | 14.3 | 9 | 24.3 | 5 | 20.8 |
   94 to 66 | 10 | 11.1 | 5 | 11.6 | 1 | 9.1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.7 | 4 | 16.7 |
   67+ | 8 | 7.8 | 7 | 16.3 | 2 | 18.2 | 3 | 11.5 | 10 | 18.9 | 14 | 14.1 | 3 | 21.4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4.2 |
No. of spell | ||||||||||||||||||
   1 | 22 | 25.3 | 6 | 14.6 | 4 | 40 | 7 | 25.0 | 8 | 15.4 | 16 | 16.8 | 4 | 30.8 | 3 | 13.1 | 5 | 20.8 |
   2 to 5 | 47 | 54.0 | 20 | 48.8 | 2 | 20.0 | 10 | 35.7 | 29 | 55.8 | 51 | 53.7 | 4 | 30.8 | 16 | 69.5 | 15 | 62.5 |
   5+ | 18 | 20.7 | 15 | 36.6 | 4 | 40.0 | 11 | 39.3 | 15 | 28.8 | 28 | 29.5 | 5 | 38.5 | 4 | 17.4 | 4 | 16.7 |
Nature of complaints | ||||||||||||||||||
   Stiffness | 44 | 50.0 | 15 | 34.9 | 2 | 18.2 | 5 | 17.9 | 25 | 47.2 | 52 | 53.6 | 2 | 14.3 | 14 | 37.8 | 3 | 12.5 |
   Nagging feeling | 10 | 11.4 | 11 | 25.6 | 3 | 27.3 | 5 | 17.9 | 13 | 24.5 | 19 | 19.6 | 4 | 28.6 | 4 | 10.8 | 4 | 16.7 |
   Numbness | 6 | 6.8 | 4 | 9.3 | 1 | 9.1 | 12 | 42.9 | 4 | 7.5 | 14 | 14.4 | 3 | 21.4 | 1 | 2.7 | 2 | 8.3 |
   Tingling | 6 | 6.8 | 2 | 4.7 | 2 | 18.2 | 8 | 28.6 | 5 | 9.4 | 5 | 5.2 | 1 | 7.1 | 3 | 8.1 | 1 | 4.2 |
   Loss of strength | 8 | 9.1 | 11 | 25.6 | 3 | 27.3 | 9 | 32.1 | 7 | 13.2 | 21 | 21.6 | 2 | 14.3 | 10 | 27.0 | 0 | 0 |
   Cramp, spasm | 67 | 76.1 | 23 | 53.5 | 4 | 36.4 | 6 | 21.4 | 41 | 77.4 | 65 | 67.0 | 8 | 57.1 | 7 | 18.9 | 5 | 20.8 |
   Pain | 69 | 78.4 | 39 | 90.7 | 11 | 100.0 | 24 | 85.7 | 48 | 90.6 | 89 | 91.8 | 12 | 85.7 | 36 | 97.3 | 24 | 100.0 |
Treatment received | ||||||||||||||||||
   No Rx | 12 | 14.0 | 10 | 24.2 | 5 | 50.0 | 3 | 11.5 | 11 | 22.4 | 13 | 13.4 | 5 | 35.7 | 15 | 41.7 | 10 | 43.5 |
   PT | 40 | 46.5 | 18 | 43.9 | 1 | 10.0 | 14 | 53.8 | 23 | 46.9 | 41 | 42.3 | 5 | 35.7 | 12 | 33.3 | 7 | 30.4 |
   Drugs | 13 | 15.1 | 8 | 19.5 | 1 | 10.0 | 5 | 19.2 | 6 | 12.2 | 10 | 10.3 | 2 | 14.3 | 5 | 13.9 | 1 | 4.3 |
   PT and Drugs | 21 | 24.4 | 5 | 12.2 | 3 | 30.0 | 4 | 15.4 | 9 | 18.4 | 32 | 33 | 2 | 14.3 | 4 | 11.1 | 4 | 7.4 |
Onset of complaints | ||||||||||||||||||
   Sudden | 39 | 44.3 | 12 | 27.9 | 5 | 45.5 | 11 | 39.3 | 15 | 28.8 | 31 | 33.7 | 5 | 35.7 | 11 | 30.6 | 13 | 54.2 |
   Gradual | 49 | 55.7 | 31 | 72.1 | 6 | 54.5 | 17 | 60.7 | 37 | 71.2 | 61 | 66.3 | 9 | 64.3 | 25 | 69.4 | 11 | 45.8 |
Expert seen | ||||||||||||||||||
   General practitioner | 8 | 9.0 | 5 | 11.9 | 1 | 9.1 | 3 | 10.7 | 2 | 3.9 | 6 | 6.7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8.3 | 0 | 0 |
   Physical therapist | 21 | 23.6 | 8 | 19.0 | 2 | 18.2 | 5 | 17.9 | 12 | 23.5 | 18 | 20.0 | 1 | 8.3 | 3 | 8.3 | 3 | 13.0 |
   A specialist | 15 | 16.9 | 3 | 7.1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 25.0 | 4 | 7.8 | 18 | 20.0 | 2 | 16.7 | 5 | 13.9 | 5 | 21.7 |