Musculoskeletal Problems and Manual Therapy Awareness in Office Workers

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are frequently associated with ergonomic risk factors, particularly poor posture, commonly affecting the neck, back, and shoulders. Manual therapy is a treatment modality rooted in manual assessment and encompassing various techniques to techniques to alleviate pain, enhance function, and reduce disability. The current study investigates the potential relationship between manual therapy awareness and musculoskeletal disorders in office workers. A total of 272 office workers employed in different departments of … University were included in the study. Participants' musculoskeletal problems were evaluated with the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire, and their levels of manual therapy awareness were assessed with the Manual Therapy Awareness Questionnaire. The Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire spine score and total score were statistically significantly higher among those aware of manual therapy (p=0.041, p=0.024). However, no difference was found in the upper and lower extremity scores (p=0.342, p=0.173). It was concluded that as the musculoskeletal disorders of office workers increased, their awareness of manual therapy also increased. It is thought that office workers with more musculoskeletal pain may need more health-related research, thereby increasing their level of knowledge.