{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T10:36:17Z","timestamp":1777890977915,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["WOR"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,20]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal symptoms (MSSs) remain the most frequently reported type of injuries sustained during fire-ground operations in firefighters. However, there is a paucity of reports concerning the prevalence estimates of MSSs among female firefighters and different fire services across Canada. OBJECTIVES: To assess the point prevalence of self-reported MSSs, stratified by age and sex in a cohort of active duty firefighters from across Canada, and to determine whether age, sex or length of service can be used to predict the likelihood of the number of MSSs sustained. METHODS: We recruited 390 firefighters (272 males, 118 females). To identify the prevalence of self-reported rates of MSSs, firefighters were asked to complete a standardized 11-item questionnaire that asked, \u201cPlease indicate whether you have experienced pain in any body region within the last week\u201d, with response options that included \u201cYes\u201d, \u201cNo\u201d, and \u201cHead\u201d, \u201cNeck\u201d, \u201cShoulder\u201d, \u201cArm\/Elbow\/Hand\u201d, \u201cBack\u201d, \u201cStomach\/Abdomen\u201d, \u201cUpper Thigh\u201d, \u201cKnee\u201d, \u201cLower Leg\u201d, \u201cFoot\u201d, \u201cOther, please specify\u201d. RESULTS: Among the 390 full-time firefighters, 212 (54%) indicated to have experienced some type of MSSs within the last week. The most prevalent region-specific MSSs included, 123 (32%) in the back region, 92 (24%) in the shoulder region, 74 (19%) in the neck region and 70 (18%) in the knee region. In addition, women indicated a 1.6 times greater likelihood of sustaining \u22652 MSSs when controlling for individual differences in age and years of service. CONCLUSIONS: The point prevalence of MSSs in a cohort of full-time firefighters was 54% (55% males; 53% females). Women experienced a 1.4\u20131.6 times greater likelihood of sustaining MSSs when controlling for individual differences in age and years of service.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3233\/wor-203264","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,22]],"date-time":"2020-09-22T19:51:36Z","timestamp":1600804296000},"page":"185-191","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among Canadian firefighters"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"67","author":[{"given":"Goris","family":"Nazari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Therapy, Health and Rehabilitation, Western University, London, ON, Canada"},{"name":"Collaborative Program in Musculoskeletal Health Research, Bone and Joint Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Joy C.","family":"MacDermid","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Therapy, Health and Rehabilitation, Western University, London, ON, Canada"},{"name":"Roth McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre, St. Joseph\u2019s Hospital, London, ON, Canada"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kathryn","family":"Sinden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Kinesiology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Robert","family":"D\u2019Amico","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Secretary, Hamilton Professional Fire Fighters Association, Canada"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/WOR-203264_ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.3233\/WOR121549","article-title":"A qualitative study on the experiences of female 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