Non-Specific Musculoskeletal Pain and Vitamin D Deficiency in Female Nurses in Kashan, Iran

Abstract

Objectives: Musculoskeletal pain is a common problem among nurses. This research was designed to investigate the non-specific musculoskeletal pain and vitamin D deficiency in female nurses working in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran in 2013.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 female nurses were investigated for their 25-hydroxy vitamin D level [25-OH] and musculoskeletal non-specific pain. The Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire [NMQ-E] was used to determine the existence of pain in nine anatomic regions. The relationship between pain in every region and vitamin D deficiency was analyzed by the Mann–Whitney U and chi-square tests. All analyses were conducted with the SPSS computer package version 16.

Results: The mean age of the nurses was 32.05 years. The mean of 25-OH vitamin D level was 16.96 ng/ml. The 178 nurses [89%] had vitamin D deficiency; in 91 nurses [45.5%] the deficiency was severe. The 178 nurses had pain in at least one region in the previous month. The pain in their upper and lower back and in ankles and feet had a significant relationship with vitamin D deficiency. The 25-OH, vitamin D level, and age could explain the 6.2% of total painful regions.

Conclusions: The study showed that both hypovtaminosis D and musculoskeletal pain were common among nurses. The vitamin D deficiency was significantly related to musculoskeletal pain.

• Musculoskeletal pain
• vitamin D deficiency
• female
• nurses
• Iran

Acknowledgements

The researchers would like to express their gratitude to the nurses of Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, Iran, who actively participated in the study.