PREVALANCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF MUSCLOSKELETAL DISORDER AMONG LOWER LIMB PROSTHESIS USERS IN MEKELLE, TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA (2024/2025).

Abstract

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect the muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and nerves, leading to pain, disability, and reduced mobility. MSDs have a major health impact on patients with lower limb prosthesis users in their functional and physical activity, which leads to poor outcomes, loss of motivation, loss of mobility, and decreased quality of life. Despite the burden of MSDs among lower limb prosthesis users, there is limited evidence about the burden of MSDs in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and its associated factors of MSDs among lower limb prosthesis users attending Mekelle Ortho-Physiotherapy Center. Method: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November to May 2024/2025 at the Mekelle Ortho-Physiotherapy Center with a sample size of 401. A systematic random sampling technique and face-to-face interview using a structured Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) were used. The collected data was entered into Kobo collect and analysis using SPSS 27. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the potential candidates for multivariable logistic regression with a p-value less than 0.25. Finally, multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed and variables with p < 0.05 with 95% CI were considered statistically significant contributors to musculoskeletal disorder. Result The overall prevalence of MSDs among lower limb prosthesis user patients was 58.35% (95% CI, 53.4–63.2). Factors affecting MSDs smoking (AOR = 2.54; 95% CI, 1.56–4.23), depression (AOR = 4.19; 95% CI, 1.92–9.11), gait abnormality (AOR = 3.00; 95% CI, 1.78–4.85), cause of amputation by trauma (AOR=2.04; 95%CI, 1.04-4.00) and annually prosthesis maintenance (AOR = 3.54; 95% CI = 2.16–5.36) were significantly associated with MSDs among lower limb prosthesis user patients. Conclusion MSDs are a public health burden among patients with lower limb prosthesis users. More than half of the people with lower limb prosthesis users had reported MSDs. Annually prosthesis maintenance, being a smoker, having depression, and gait abnormalities were the factors significantly associated with MSDs. Thus screening for MSDs, and avoiding the identified factors will help to reduce the occurrence of MSDs.