Keywords
Occupational Health
Musculoskeletal
Chefs
Ergonomics
Repetitive Strain Injury
Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to find out that how common lateral epicondylitis (LE) is among chefs. It also focused specifically on how age, gender, and working hours are associated with the prevalence of lateral epicondylitis.
Methodology: 200 chefs from different restaurants in Islamabad, Pakistan, were the sample for this analytical cross-sectional study. Cozen's test was used to diagnose LE, and the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Questionnaire (PRTEEQ) assessed pain and impairment in participants who were having age between 25 and 54 and worked seven to ten hours a day. Using SPSS version 26, the chi-square test was used to analyze the data and find associations among the variables.
Results: According to the study, 68.5% of participants had positive Cozen's test results, showing a significant incidence of LE in the culinary industry. The age range of 30-34 had the highest frequency. Age and Cozen's test results showed a significant association (p = 0.04), as did working hours and Cozen's test results (p = 0.00). There was no significant association between gender and LE (p = 0.84). Younger chefs (25–29 years old) were more likely to have severe pain and disability; there was a substantial association between age and PRTEEQ levels (p = 0.00).
Conclusion: LE is a common work-related musculoskeletal disorder among chefs, especially in those with an age range of 30-34 years and having greater working hours. The study found that chefs of both sexes are equally vulnerable. These results emphasize the necessity of focused occupational health and ergonomic measures to lessen the effects of LE in this particular population.
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