Swedish Sonographers’ perceptions of ergonomic problems at work and their suggestions for improvement

Abstract

BackgroundSonographers’ perceptions of ergonomic and work-related pain problems at work have so far mostly been researched in quantitative studies by questionnaires. There is a need of experience-based research to deepen the knowledge about how sonographers perceive ergonomic problems at work. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to describe sonographers’ perceptions of ergonomic problems at work, and their suggestions for improvement strategies.MethodsTwenty-two female sonographers were individually interviewed regarding different aspects of their physical working environment. Content analysis was applied.ResultsThe sonographers perceived different ergonomic problems in their working environment, but to offer patient comfort and to obtain the best possible images were often prioritized over working posture. Echocardiography was considered demanding as the examination is performed with little variation in posture. Ergonomic improvements included reducing the manual handling of the transducer, optimizing the adjustability of equipment, and taking the patient’s physique and health into account. As some examinations were perceived to be more ergonomically demanding, variation between examinations was suggested, however, this requires broader skills.ConclusionSonography, especially echocardiography is ergonomically demanding but the improvement strategies suggested were perceived useful and applicable.

Following the Principles of Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders in Ultrasonographers

“…In a study from 2016, the authors concluded that ultrasonographers consider their work stimulating but also physically exhausting. They are aware of the ergonomic positions during work, though the comfort of the patient and obtaining good ultrasonographic images often took precedence over the work position (31).…”

Neck and upper extremity pain in sonographers – a longitudinal study

“…The sonographers showed a high prevalence of pain in neck and upper limb and were exposed to several well-known ergonomic and organisational risk factors. Optimizing working condition may reduce pain and based on the associations at baseline as well as on knowledge from the literature [4,5,[25][26][27][28][29][30] we would like to make some recommendations. We recommend the equipment to be possible to adjust to fit the examiner's anthropometrics and to allow variation in work technique.…”

“…Sonographers have also reported that perceived poor lighting, e.g. glare or dazzle in the screen, leads to eyestrain and musculoskeletal discomfort [5]. There is limited evidence for the effects of visual interventions to prevent visual symptoms among computer users [34].…”

“…Such examinations are becoming increasingly common due to improved technology and knowledge, and a growing need [2]. However, conducting sonography is associated with risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) such as awkward postures and sustained static forces [3][4][5]. Furthermore, sonography is a computer-intensive work task since both the examination and the ensuing analysis are performed on a computer, constituting yet another risk factor for WMSDs [6].…”

Can Teaching Ultrasound Ergonomics to Ultrasound Practitioners Reduce White Knuckles and Transducer Grip Force?

“…2,3 This was reflected in the work by Monnington et al, 9 who reported that sonographers use increased transducer force when scanning obese patients. Gemark Simonsen and Gard 10 reported that cardiac sonographers’ extended examination times and increased transducer pressure when scanning obese patients contributed to increased transducer grip force. The authors of the study 10 found that inexperienced sonographers who take longer to scan also suffer due to increased force applied to the transducer.…”