Subjective and Objective Estimation of Physical Activities on the Lower Extremities for Inpatient Staff Nurses and Their Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Discomfort

Abstract

Registered nurses have a higher incidence rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) compared with the overall rate for MSDs in the U.S. Attention has been on back pain in nurses, but the lower extremities are also a frequent site of discomfort in nurses, though only a few studies have reported on this problem, investigations of risk factors are limited, and reports of successful interventions are primarily anecdotal. Studies in other populations have identified prolonged time on one’s feet as a risk factor for various lower extremity problems. This study aims to determine the prevalence of hospital inpatient staff nurses’ lower extremity discomfort and to subjectively and objectively quantify lower extremity physical activities exposure during work, specifically walking, standing, and sitting, and examine any interaction with type of unit or shift, in order to begin to describe the physical loading of the lower extremities in this type of nursing work.