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Table 3 Sample size weighted average (standard deviation) of MSD prevalence by continent for each of the 11 body areas studied

From: Global prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among physiotherapists: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  

Neck

Upper back

Mid back

Lower back

Shoulder

Elbow

Wrist/ hand/ fingers

Thumb

Hip

Knee

Ankle/feet

Africa

Mean

26.8%

20.0%

-

53.4%

27.6%

6.4%

20.9%

-

4.3%

21.1%

6.5%

SD

15.9%

11.5%

-

29.0%

15.5%

0.7%

10.1%

-

1.8%

4.6%

2.6%

America

Mean

23.4%

15.1%

-

33.0%

20.0%

3.0%

16.0%

83.3%

3.1%

4.4%

3.4%

SD

28.8%

14.4%

-

25.4%

26.9%

6.4%

15.0%

-

11.1%

17.1%

11.8%

Asia

Mean

22.6%

9.5%

20.8%

36.7%

16.2%

9.0%

16.9%

24.7%

12.5%

12.5%

4.7%

SD

9.9%

6.5%

10.9%

10.7%

13.6%

6.7%

10.0%

19.1%

3.7%

4.9%

5.0%

Europe

Mean

27.5%

20.8%

-

41.0%

18.1%

7.8%

15.8%

17.8%

8.3%

11.4%

6.7%

SD

17.4%

20.1%

-

19.1%

14.8%

14.3%

12.3%

-

13.8%

14.0%

12.6%

Oceania

Mean

39.6%

41.0%

11.0%

50.8%

19.2%

10.2%

19.5%

33.6%

6.1%

8.8%

5.6%

SD

19.5%

-

-

28.6%

9.1%

7.2%

5.5%

-

3.0%

5.8%

3.6%

Overall

26.4%

17.7%

14.9%

40.1%

20.8%

7.0%

18.1%

35.4%

7.0%

13.0%

5.5%

p (Kruskal–Wallis)

p = 0.93

p = 0.54

p = 1.0

p = 0.51

p = 0.83

p = 0.73

p = 0.84

p = 1.0

p = 0.31

p = 0.15

p = 0.36