The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and patterns of MSKD in orthopaedic surgery and internal medicine residents.

It has been shown that surgeons are at risk for the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSKD) due to the ergonomic stresses of the operating room.  The impact of these disorders can translate to loss of work time and productivity, as well as decreased physical and psychosocial health. However, little work has been done investigating the prevalence of MSKD in surgical or medical residents. 

A modified version of the Physical Discomfort Survey was developed and distributed to all orthopaedic surgery and internal medicine residents at the University of Toronto. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in specific anatomical regions was compared between the two groups. 

Forty-three orthopaedic surgery and 85 internal medicine residents responded to the survey. 40% of orthopaedic surgery and 29% of internal medicine residents reported that their activities in the hospital have contributed to MSKD. Internal medicine residents reported a prevalence of 69%, 68% and 51% for upper extremity, back and lower extremity MSKD, respectively. Orthopaedic surgery residents reported a prevalence of 58%, 51% and 47% for upper extremity, back and lower extremity MSKD, respectively. Internal medicine residents had a higher prevalence of neck symptoms (53% vs. 28%, p=0.01) and upper back symptoms (31% vs. 9%, p=0.01) than orthopaedic surgery residents. 

We would like to thank the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto, Toronto General Hospital, and University Health Network.

This data suggests that both orthopaedic surgery and internal medicine residents have significant MSKD, which may be due to factors within their diverse training environments. Thus, the impact of residency training on MSKD should be acknowledged for both groups.  This is particularly important for programs when considering overall resident health issues.  The implementation of early interventions, even at the residency level, can be beneficial in the prevention of future significant MSKD in physicians.