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Kermani F, Poshtvan M, Doostmohammadi S, Nasiri M R, Mirzahosseini A, Mirshoja M S. Prevalence of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders and their Association With Fatigue and Job Satisfaction Among Administrative Employees of Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Arch Rehabil 2026; 27 (3) :472-501
URL: http://rehabilitationj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-3719-en.html

Objective Musculoskeletal symptoms and pain are important problems that can affect quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and their association with fatigue and job satisfaction among employees of a medical university in Semnan, Iran.
Materials & Methods This is a descriptive-analytical study with a cross-sectional design. Participants included 125 administrative staff of Semnan University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) in Semnan, Iran in 2025. We used stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. Instruments were a demographic/behavioural form, the musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ), the Minnesota satisfaction questionnaire (MSQ), and the multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI). Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 26 with Kolmogorov-Smirnov, chi-square, Pearson, and Spearman tests. Significance level was set at 0.05.
Results Among 125 employees, 60.8% were female, and their mean age, work experience, and Body mass index (BMI) were 41.18±7.49 years, 13.39±12.79 years, and 28.06±18.24 kg/m2 (overweight). Their mean computer work hours per week (33.40 h) were significantly higher than non-computer work hours (21.19 h). Overall prevalence of WMSDs was 30.6%. The most prevalent affected sites were neck (41.6%), shoulders (37.6%), and low back/buttocks (34.4%). Women reported a higher prevalence of pain in most areas, including neck (52.6%), shoulders (47.4%), low back (40.8%), and buttocks (44.7%), compared to men. Smoking was significantly associated with hip pain (P=0.028). linear-by-linear association test revealed a significant positive linear relationship between increased stress and shoulder and upper back pain. A significant positive correlation was observed between fatigue and ankle/foot pain (Spearman’s rho=0.189, P=0.041). Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between fatigue and job satisfaction, indicating that higher fatigue was linked to lower job satisfaction.
Conclusion WMSDs prevalence is moderate among administrative staff at SUMS, with neck pain, shoulder pain, and low back pain as the most common disorders. Various individual (female gender, overweight), behavioral (prolonged computer use, smoking), and psychosocial factors (perceived stress) can contribute to increased musculoskeletal pain in specific regions. Fatigue is associated with reduced job satisfaction and increased ankle/foot pain. These findings provide local evidence for human resource managers and occupational health professionals to design targeted ergonomic interventions (optimizing workplaces), stress management programs, and corrective exercise programs to reduce fatigue, enhance job satisfaction, and promote the physical and mental health of medical university employees.