Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41236555›Full record

ArticleSurgery today2026

Current status and characteristics of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among general surgeons in japan: a cross-sectional survey at a university hospital and its affiliated regional hospitals.

Hideki Sasanuma, Hiroshi Kawahira, Hironori Yamaguchi, Joji Kitayama, Naohiro Sata

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Surgery today, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Hideki SasanumaDivision of Gastroenterological, General and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, 329-0498, Tochigi, Japan. h-ssnm@jichi.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9758-7295
Hiroshi KawahiraDivision of Gastroenterological, General and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, 329-0498, Tochigi, Japan.
Hironori YamaguchiDivision of Gastroenterological, General and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, 329-0498, Tochigi, Japan.
Joji KitayamaDivision of Gastroenterological, General and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, 329-0498, Tochigi, Japan.
Naohiro SataDivision of Gastroenterological, General and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, 329-0498, Tochigi, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThere is limited awareness of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in Japan, despite the high ergonomic risks for surgeons. We conducted this study to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and impact of MSDs on Japanese general surgeons.

methodsAn electronic survey of 136 general surgeons at a Japanese university hospital network used a modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to assess demographics, work factors, MSD symptoms, psychological distress, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and their impact.

resultsBased on a 56.6% response rate, we found a high prevalence of chronic (37.7%) and acute (51.9%) MSDs. These disorders frequently impacted surgeons' work (30.0%) and daily life (39.0%), leading to time off (5.2%) and medical intervention (28.6%). Both MSD types correlated significantly with the use of NSAIDs and psychological distress. Notably, neck pain was strongly associated with the use of NSAIDs. The proportion of minimally invasive surgical procedures performed each week was associated significantly with acute, but not chronic, MSDs.

conclusionsMSDs are highly prevalent among Japanese surgeons, impacting their physical and psychological health. The high symptom prevalence and the strong association between neck pain and NSAID reliance underscore the urgent need for ergonomic interventions and preventive strategies in surgical practice to protect this essential workforce.

Indexed as

General SurgeryHospitals, UniversityMusculoskeletal DiseasesOccupational DiseasesSurgeonsAdultAnti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-SteroidalChronic DiseaseCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansJapanMaleMiddle AgedNeck PainPrevalenceAnti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-SteroidalMinimally invasive surgeryMusculoskeletal disordersNeck painNonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugsSurgeons

Identifiers

PMID41236555
PMCPMC13090198

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.