Impact of Prolonged Computer Use on Upper Extremity Pain and Disability among Medical Coders in Twin Cities of Pakistan

Authors

  • Ayesha Kifayat Demonstrator, Bashir Institute of health Sciences, Bharakahu, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Hina Javed Assistant Professor, Bashir Institute of health Sciences, Bharakahu, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Afifa Ittefaq Consultant Physiotherapist, Farooq teaching hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Umair Khan Consultant Physiotherapist, Moonlight X-ray, D.I Khan, KPK, Pakistan
  • Aimen Shouket Junior Lecturer, Bashir Institute of health Sciences, Bharakahu, Islamabad, Pakistan

Keywords:

Quick DASH questionnaire, VAS scale, upper limb disability, upper extremity symptoms, medical coders, computer users

Abstract

Background: With the increasing reliance on computers, prolonged usage has become a common occupational factor associated with musculoskeletal symptoms, especially among medical coders. Studies have shown that static postures and repetitive upper limb movements contribute to upper extremity (UE) pain and disability. However, there is limited research focusing on this professional group in Pakistan.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the frequency of upper extremity symptoms and investigate associated demographic and occupational factors among medical coders in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Methodology: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted with 191 medical coders (age 20-35 years; 56.5% males, 43.5% females) using the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick DASH) outcome measure and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain. Participants provided demographic information, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression.

Results: Among participants, 50% reported mild to severe UE disability, while 59.7% reported varying levels of pain, as indicated by Quick DASH and VAS scores. Factors such as age, gender, working hours, shift type, and experience were positively associated with increased UE pain and disability. Evening shift workers and those with longer working hours reported higher symptom severity.

Conclusion: Upper extremity pain and disability are prevalent among medical coders, with occupational factors significantly affecting their daily activities and quality of life. These findings underscore the need for ergonomic interventions and workload management to mitigate symptoms and enhance the well-being of medical coders.

Keywords: Quick DASH questionnaire, VAS scale, upper limb disability, upper extremity symptoms, medical coders, computer users

Downloads

Published

2025-06-23

How to Cite

1.
Ayesha Kifayat, Javed H, Afifa Ittefaq, Muhammad Umair Khan, Aimen Shouket. Impact of Prolonged Computer Use on Upper Extremity Pain and Disability among Medical Coders in Twin Cities of Pakistan. J Riphah Coll. Rehabili. sci. [Internet]. 2025Jun.23 [cited 2025Jul.17];13(2). Available from: https://journals.riphah.edu.pk/index.php/jrcrs/article/view/2351

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025): JRCRS Volume 13 Issue 2

Section

Original Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 All Articles are made available under a Creative Commons "Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International" license. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Copyrights on any open access article published by Journal Riphah college of Rehabilitation Science (JRCRS) are retained by the author(s). Authors retain the rights of free downloading/unlimited e-print of full text and sharing/disseminating the article without any restriction, by any means; provided the article is correctly cited. JRCRS does not allow commercial use of the articles published. All articles published represent the view of the authors and do not reflect the official policy of JRCRS.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.