This study investigated the prevalence of thumb problems in Australian physiotherapists and the association between these thumb problems and various potential risk factors. Information concerning the nature and type of thumb problems experienced by physiotherapists was also sought. The study sample consisted of a random selection of physiotherapists identified from the registration lists held by the Physiotherapy Registration Boards of each Australian state and the Northern Territory. The measurement tool used in this study was a self-administered questionnaire that was sent to participating physiotherapists by mail. The questionnaire was purpose designed for this study and was based partly on previously used questionnaires that had investigated work related musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, the questionnaire was based on information obtained from informal discussions with colleagues and formal focus groups. As part of its development, the questionnaire underwent a number of pilot studies and a limited study investigating test-retest reliability. / Questionnaires were mailed to 1562 registered Australian physiotherapists, with a return rate of 70.6 per cent and a completion rate of 67.6 per cent. The sample of 961 respondents included in the study appeared representative of the population of Australian physiotherapists from which it was drawn, in terms of demographic data. The current prevalence of thumb problems was found to be 65.3 per cent (394 respondents) and the lifetime prevalence of thumb problems was 55.3 per cent (628 respondents). The factors that were found to be significantly associated with thumb problems included working in the area of orthopaedic outpatients (odds ratios 2.3-3.4), trigger point therapy (odds ratio 2.3) and massage (odds ratio 2.1); the presence of thumb joint hypermobility (odds ratio 2.2-2.6); or an inability to stabilise the joints of the thumb whilst performing physiotherapy techniques (odds ratio 5.0). Other factors such as the hours worked per week, years worked in an area of physiotherapy practice and the presence of general joint pathology did not increase the risk of thumb problems in this sample of Australian physiotherapists. / The symptoms most often reported by the 628 respondents with thumb problems were pain (90.1%) and instability (22.0%). The majority of the thumbs (57.0%) of respondents with thumb problems had been symptomatic for more than one year, but only 9.0 per cent of thumbs had caused symptoms on a daily basis over the last 12 months. The majority of respondents with thumb problems reported an insidious onset to their thumb problems that was related to their work as a physiotherapist (79.6%), with the onset occurring most frequently during the first five years after graduation. The metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint was most commonly identified by respondents as being the source of their thumb problems (33.5%). While thumb symptoms did not affect activities to a marked degree, aching, pain and instability (of the MCP joint) were the symptoms that most often stopped activity. / Approximately half of the respondents (52.2%) with thumb problems in this sample had sought treatment for these problems, with taping the most commonly utilised treatment modality. For those physiotherapists with thumb problems, the thumb problems were found to have had a major effect on their career, with 19.1 per cent of those with thumb problems changing their field of physiotherapy practice and 4.0 per cent leaving the physiotherapy profession as a result of their thumb problems. / In conclusion, the prevalence of thumb problems in Australian physiotherapists appears to be high, and can be of sufficient intensity to impact on physiotherapists careers. Working in the area of manual therapy, having hypermobile thumb joints and being able unable to stabilise the joints of the thumbs whilst performing physiotherapy techniques appear to be particular risk factors for the development of thumb problems in physiotherapists. / Thesis (MApSc(Physiotherapy))--University of South Australia, 2005.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/267339 |
| Creators | McMahon, Margaret. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | copyright under review |
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