Ergonomic risks and prevention of work related musculoskeletal disorders in sonographers

Abstract

Work related musculoskeletal disease (WMSD) is common in sonographers with a lifetime pain prevalence of 68-95% and an estimated one in four suffering a career ending injury. To date there is a paucity of research investigating ergonomic prevention strategies for WMSD in sonographers. This thesis aimed to explore, in a series of studies, the effectiveness of ergonomic interventions in reducing upper limb pain in sonographers.

A systematic review was undertaken to investigate whether ergonomic interventions could help prevent or reduce WMSD in sonographers, surgeons and dentists, as sonographer cohorts alone were lacking. This study found moderate evidence for favourable ergonomic positioning of the upper limb and neck in surgeons and dentists.

A retrospective study of participatory ergonomics and sonographer led interventions in five workplaces found interventions considered beneficial were: use of a patient monitor to reduce neck rotation; job rotation to reduce number of consecutive scans performed; and use of optimal ergonomic scanning techniques.

Outcomes of the earlier two studies led to the development and pilot testing of an online ergonomics education program designed specifically for sonographers, RESPite (REducing Sonographer Pain through ergonomics education), which found the content to be very relevant to sonographers.

The fourth study evaluated the effectiveness of RESPite on WMSD in sonographers in a cluster randomised controlled trial. No between groups differences were found in outcomes, although the study was underpowered. However, 86% of completing participants would recommend RESPite.

In conclusion, it was not possible at this time to determine if an online ergonomics training program was an effective ergonomic risk prevention strategy in this cohort. Future studies in sonographer cohorts could investigate strategies to boost worker participation in educational interventions in addition to administrative ergonomic interventions.