Background: Physiotherapists are advocates of workplace health and safety. Ergonomics play a role in fitting the job to the worker to accommodate the limitations and capacity of the worker. One of the most significant ergonomic problems encountered in workplace is work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Physiotherapists are predisposed to MSDs due to the physical nature of their job. Physiotherapists are widely educated in the field of ergonomics that helps in the prevention of WMSDs during practice. Despite the high prevalence of WMSD’s, there is limited practice of ergonomic principles in the workplace by physiotherapy practitioners. Objectives: This study evaluates the knowledge and practice of ergonomics integrated patient handling by physiotherapy practitioners in Maharashtra. Method: A cross-sectional survey design was used to sample 101 physiotherapists practicing in Maharashtra. Participants responded to a three-part structured questionnaire labelled as A,B and C. The questionnaire had 20 items, all closed ended questions with options YES and NO to explore the knowledge and practice of ergonomics integrated patient handling by physiotherapy practitioners. Data was analysed using a descriptive statistics and inferential statistics of Chi-Square. Results: The majority (91.44%) of the participants had good knowledge of the ergonomic principles in patient handling while only (72.6%) reported practicing them. Poor practice was mainly due to lack of manual handling equipment, negative attitudes of physiotherapist professionals towards ergonomic principles and high patient case load in most practice settings. There was significant association between levels of knowledge and practice of ergonomics integrated patient handling by physiotherapy practitioners. Conclusion: Physiotherapy practitioners reported a good level of knowledge about ergonomics integrated patient handling, but poor practice level. There is a knowledge-practice gap in patient handling by physiotherapy practitioners in Maharashtra. Perhaps this non-adherence contributed to the high prevalence of Work- related musculoskeletal disorders (WSM’s) among physiotherapy practitioners.

Workplaceergonomics, patient handling, health care professionals, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD’s).