PREVALENCE OF LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS WITH RELATION TO OCCUPATION: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF CHEFS IN MULTAN

The term lateral epicondylitis describes discomfort in the lateral epicondyle of the humerus, which develops due to overuse of forearm's extensor muscles. The intense discomfort experienced can affect the daily activities. A cross- sectional study was conducted in which 111 people from eighteen kitchens were recruited. In this linking, Cozen’s test was used to confirm the diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis as well as the Patient Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Questionnaire was used to collect subjective data. The mean age of subjects was 34.02±6.507 years and pain prevalence was 47.6%. Half of the population had mild pain or disability, and 43.2% had moderate pain/disability. A small percentage (5.4%) were unable to work due to severe pain. These findings demonstrated that cooks between the ages of 25 and 30 had a high prevalence of lateral epicondylitis. his study could provide valuable insights into how repetitive motions and physical demands in certain professions, such as chefs, can lead to such conditions and involved in occupations like cooking. In this regard, the crux of chef's job involves repetitive bending and straightening movements at elbow, that increases prevalence of lateral epicondylitis. When designing preventive strategies, long workdays are crucial physical aspect that should be considered.