Prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and their relationships with occupational performance among public high school teachers

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms and to identify their relationships with functional capacity for daily living and working activities among public high school teachers in Ceilandia/DF. Methodological procedures: This was a cross-sectional study with 61 teachers from four different schools. An initial questionnaire covering sociodemographic, clinical and occupational characteristics was used for initial assessment, with the Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire (musculoskeletal disorders) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (upper limb disorders). Descriptive and comparative statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The body areas most affected by musculoskeletal symptoms in the last 12 months were: upper back (42.6%), lower back (41.7%) and neck (39.3%). Greater impairment in the daily activities performance was observed among teachers who had some musculoskeletal symptom in the neck (p=.0001), shoulders (p=.001), back (p=.002), elbows (p=.002) or wrist and hand (p=.018). Additionally, it was observed greater interference in work activities among teachers who had some musculoskeletal symptom in the shoulders (p=.023) or elbows (p=.003). Conclusion: This scenario highlights the importance of including regular programs of health promotion and disorders prevention in high schools for correct orientation and maintain these professionals functional capacity.