Ergonomic conditions, physical demands and musculoskeletal risk level of the “occupational therapist” work position of the occupamor aragua-venezuela occupational care center. 2025

Abstract

Introduction: Determining the ergonomic conditions and musculoskeletal risk levels was essential to ensuring the health of occupational therapists at an occupational care center. Method: The study was conducted within the positivist paradigm, with a quantitative approach and a non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional design. The population consisted of the four therapists working at the center, and the sample was census-based. Individual questionnaires, direct observation, the OWAS method, the body schema of pain, and the NTP 295 were applied. Results: The results showed that women were the predominant sex (100%), representing a young adult population with an average age of 28.5 years. By applying the OWAS method to the overall analysis of accumulated postures, risk categories 2 and 3 were identified, with 76% of the patients on their backs (bent and tilted/rotated) and 67% on their legs (bent knees). These postures can cause greater postural strain for the workers, necessitating the implementation of corrective actions as soon as possible. By applying NTP 295, a bearable cardiac demand was determined, along with a score of 5 points according to the Frimat index for the care of an agitated patient. The results obtained through the application of the body schema subjectively support the findings obtained through the OWAS method. Conclusion: Occupational therapists are exposed to dysergonomic conditions in their workplaces, directly related to the awkward postures they must adopt when performing activities related to childcare.