• Ali M Alshami.
• From the Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Med J. 2024 May 1; 45 (5): 518524518-524.

ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of upper and lower limb musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders among adult patients referred to physical therapy.MethodsData were retrospectively analyzed from electronic health records of patients referred to physical therapy between April 2021 and April 2023. MSK disorders were categorized based on the affected body region (upper or lower limb).ResultsA total of 11,243 patients were referred to physical therapy, of whom 4,156 (37%) had MSK disorders. The 4 most commonly affected regions were the knee (27.7%), followed by the shoulder (26.9%), the ankle/foot (14.9%), and the wrist/hand (11.8%). Within each region, the most prevalent disorders were as follows: knee (arthritis [26.5%], sprain/strain [20.1%], pain [10.1%]); shoulder (pain [20.2%], rotator cuff-related syndrome [18.5%], adhesive capsulitis [8.5%]); ankle/foot (sprain/strain [23.3%], fracture [14.3%], pain [8.9%]); and wrist/hand (fracture [24.1%], pain [8.9%], sprain/strain [7.6%]). Cramer's V analysis revealed a strong association between age and the region of MSK disorders (Cramer's V=0.234, p<0.001) and between patient sex and the region of MSK disorders (Cramer's V=0.189, p<0.001).ConclusionThis study demonstrates the prevalence of upper and lower limb MSK disorders among adult patients referred to physical therapy. Further research involving larger, representative samples is warranted to fully understand the prevalence and risk factors of MSK disorders in Saudi Arabia.Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal.

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