A Digital Ergonomics Assessment of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Between Female and Male Physical Therapists. (MD)

this study will be conducted to investigate the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders due to the postural load between female and male physical therapists by utilization of digital ergonomics analysis.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Musculoskeletal Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: female physical therapists; Other: male physical therapists

Detailed Description

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) refer to an array of signs and symptoms involving various areas of the musculoskeletal system. The clinical manifestations of MSDs include pain, swelling/redness, stiffness, and weakness or loss of function. Such manifestations affect the muscles, joints, tendons, nerves, and supporting structures in various body parts. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have a high significant occupation problem worldwide.The prevalence of WRMDs among Egyptian physiotherapists is high. Physical therapist often initiate their clinical careers with prolonged exposure to physically demanding tasks, such as working with patients in various body positions. This early exposure can establish lifelong patterns of movement and posture that increase the risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs). By identifying and addressing potential ergonomic risk between genders during this formative period, we aim to prevent the onset of WRMDs and promote long-term occupational health among physical therapists. This study will focus on assessing the prevalence of poor body mechanics and identifying the risk of WRMDs between female and male physical therapists in their early clinical careers.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 217

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: alaa mohamed, master; Phone Number: 01007245848; Email: dr.alaahashem8@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

A two hundred and seventeen of Egyptian physical therapists . They will be selected from Al Kasr Elaini Hospital and at the outpatient clinics of the Faculty of Physical Therapy at Cairo and Badr University. Their age is 21-30 years old of physical therapist and their BMI is between 18 and 24.9. needed to capture videos from a lateral view for Kinovea analysis of the angles and degrees of sagittal plane motion (for shoulder , elbow, wrist, neck and trunk joints ) and from an anterior view to determine the presence of frontal plane motion (in shoulder, elbow, wrist, neck and trunk joints) to fulfill the RULA to estimate the Risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorder .

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Males and females Egyptian physical therapists at Al Kasr Elaini Hospital and at the outpatient clinics of the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, and Badr university, will be included in the study.
• Age ranges from 21-30 years old of physical therapists and their BMI is between 18 and 24.9.
• 4 hours of work daily at least
• No working experience to 2 years of experience only

Exclusion Criteria:

• Congenital musculoskeletal disorders
• Page 3 of 4 [DRAFT] -
• Fractures
• Previous musculoskeletal surgery
• Cardiovascular disease
• Pulmonary disease
• Diabetes
• Neurological disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
female physical therapists; Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Among female Physical Therapists The study will be carried out on 109 of Egyptian physical therapists female . They will be randomly selected from Al Kasr Elaini Hospital and at the outpatient clinics of the Faculty of Physical Therapy at Cairo and Badr University.	Other: female physical therapists; 109 female physical therapists under Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Among Physical Therapist will be included in the study.
male physical therapists; Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Among male Physical Therapists The study will be carried out on 108 of Egyptian physical therapists who are male. They will be randomly selected from Al Kasr Elaini Hospital and at the outpatient clinics of the Faculty of Physical Therapy at Cairo and Badr University.	Other: male physical therapists; 108 male physical therapists under Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Among Physical Therapist will be included in the study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
range of motion	kinovea soft wear will be used to measure joints range of motions.this will be applied through Capturing videos by iPhone 11 from lateral view for kinovea analysis the angles degrees of sagittal plane motion (for shoulder , elbow, wrist, neck and trunk joints ) and from anterior view to determined the presence of frontal plane motion (in shoulder, elbow, wrist, neck and trunk joints)	up to one day
postural load	The rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) will be used to assess the postural load and to know if physical therapy interns are exposed to MSD risk factors during the performance of their work	up to one day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): May 30, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 14, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 14, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 14, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders; Female and Male Physical Therapists.
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB00014233-78

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No