ABSTRACT
Multiple causes of work-related lesions are little explored in Physical Therapy and its understanding based on the Epidemiologic and Technical Security System Nexus (NTEP) may provide physical therapists conditions for them to act in work processes. We aimed to analyze the association between clinical diagnosis and occupational situation of patients from a Physical Therapy service. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study with 656 patients assisted from January 2013 to July 2014. We collected, from medical records, information about sex, age, skin color, clinical diagnosis and occupational situation. Chi-square and logistic regression tests were used for the analysis of the association between diagnosis and occupational situations. A population with mean age of 49.4 years, mostly women, white skin color and predominance of non-traumatic lesions. Multiple regression showed association between domestic services and carpal tunnel syndrome (OR=2.54) and shoulder injuries (OR=1.82); between construction services and pain in the spine (OR=5.78) and distal fractures in the lower limb (OR=3.53); between retirees and gonoarthrosis (OR=3.76), osteoarthritis in the spine (OR=2.24), and CVA (OR=2.03), shoulder injuries (OR=0.27) and distal fractures in the lower limb (OR=0.15). Our study showed risk for lesions of upper limbs in domestic services; for lesions of the spine and distal fractures of lower limbs in construction services; for arthrosis and CVA in retirees. Retirees feature a protection factor for shoulder injuries and fractures of lower limbs. Physical therapists can work in the selection of epidemiological indicators, formulation of ergonomic guidelines and planning of the therapeutic conduct.
Keywords:
Occupational Health; Physical Therapy Modalities; Occupational Risks