A new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (ErgoSon)
Abstract Background A substantial body of research has documented a high prevalence of neck, shoulder, wrist, and back pain among sonography users. However, the specific postures that contribute to these complaints have scarcely been systematically investigated, to date. This proposed study offers a...
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2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-025-00457-6 |
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| author | Johannes Matthias Weimer Bastian Dumancic Julia Weinmann-Menke Josefine Rombusch Benjamin Ernst Alexa Krambeck Rejane Golbach Eugen Topal Christian Maurer-Grubinger Carlotta Ille David A. Groneberg Christina Erbe Daniela Ohlendorf Fabian Holzgreve |
| author_facet | Johannes Matthias Weimer Bastian Dumancic Julia Weinmann-Menke Josefine Rombusch Benjamin Ernst Alexa Krambeck Rejane Golbach Eugen Topal Christian Maurer-Grubinger Carlotta Ille David A. Groneberg Christina Erbe Daniela Ohlendorf Fabian Holzgreve |
| author_sort | Johannes Matthias Weimer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background A substantial body of research has documented a high prevalence of neck, shoulder, wrist, and back pain among sonography users. However, the specific postures that contribute to these complaints have scarcely been systematically investigated, to date. This proposed study offers a novel method to record users’ body posture during sonography examinations kinematically and to survey the complaints of sonography users in various specialities. Using this data, well-founded ergonomic recommendations for the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) will be developed. Methods A minimum of 38 study participants across two groups (19 beginners; 19 experienced) per speciality (head and neck sonography, abdominal sonography, cardiac sonography, musculoskeletal sonography, and obstetric/gynaecological sonography) will be assessed using kinematic whole-body (including finger movements) analysis based on inertial motion capture. Subsequently, ergonomic risk will be determined by integrating the quantitative data into the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Moreover, a questionnaire on musculoskeletal complaints and ergonomics in sonography will be used in certified sonography courses, ultrasound-based centres, and university teaching. The primary outcome measures of this proposed study include typical tasks based on joint angles and assessment using RULA scores. In addition, the prevalence of WRMSDs will be recorded. The Mann-Whitney-U test will be employed to calculate the differences between the two study groups in each speciality. In addition, inferential statistical comparisons will be conducted for continuous data using confidence bands; the statistical parametric mapping method will be employed here. The significance level will be set at p = 0.05. Conclusions This article proposes a study (or series of studies) to describe the continuous ergonomic risk for typical tasks across different disciplines of sonography and to identify increased ergonomic risks. Such studies offer significant potential for preventing WRMSDs. The insights gained could inform the future design of prevention programmes and the development of recommendations for action, as well as teaching sonography users an ergonomically optimised way of working. The results could suggest that ergonomics training is incorporated more thoroughly into ultrasound training curricula to minimise health risks for future users. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-caaedbd451b3453ba61f2a88220d238b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1745-6673 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj-art-caaedbd451b3453ba61f2a88220d238b2025-08-20T02:12:03ZengBMCJournal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology1745-66732025-04-0120111310.1186/s12995-025-00457-6A new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (ErgoSon)Johannes Matthias Weimer0Bastian Dumancic1Julia Weinmann-Menke2Josefine Rombusch3Benjamin Ernst4Alexa Krambeck5Rejane Golbach6Eugen Topal7Christian Maurer-Grubinger8Carlotta Ille9David A. Groneberg10Christina Erbe11Daniela Ohlendorf12Fabian Holzgreve13Rudolf Frey Learning Clinic, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzRudolf Frey Learning Clinic, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzDepartment of Medicine I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzDepartment of Orthodontics, Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center FrankfurtDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center FrankfurtDepartment of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, University Hospital FrankfurtInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University FrankfurtInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University FrankfurtRudolf Frey Learning Clinic, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University FrankfurtDepartment of Orthodontics, Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University FrankfurtInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University FrankfurtAbstract Background A substantial body of research has documented a high prevalence of neck, shoulder, wrist, and back pain among sonography users. However, the specific postures that contribute to these complaints have scarcely been systematically investigated, to date. This proposed study offers a novel method to record users’ body posture during sonography examinations kinematically and to survey the complaints of sonography users in various specialities. Using this data, well-founded ergonomic recommendations for the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) will be developed. Methods A minimum of 38 study participants across two groups (19 beginners; 19 experienced) per speciality (head and neck sonography, abdominal sonography, cardiac sonography, musculoskeletal sonography, and obstetric/gynaecological sonography) will be assessed using kinematic whole-body (including finger movements) analysis based on inertial motion capture. Subsequently, ergonomic risk will be determined by integrating the quantitative data into the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Moreover, a questionnaire on musculoskeletal complaints and ergonomics in sonography will be used in certified sonography courses, ultrasound-based centres, and university teaching. The primary outcome measures of this proposed study include typical tasks based on joint angles and assessment using RULA scores. In addition, the prevalence of WRMSDs will be recorded. The Mann-Whitney-U test will be employed to calculate the differences between the two study groups in each speciality. In addition, inferential statistical comparisons will be conducted for continuous data using confidence bands; the statistical parametric mapping method will be employed here. The significance level will be set at p = 0.05. Conclusions This article proposes a study (or series of studies) to describe the continuous ergonomic risk for typical tasks across different disciplines of sonography and to identify increased ergonomic risks. Such studies offer significant potential for preventing WRMSDs. The insights gained could inform the future design of prevention programmes and the development of recommendations for action, as well as teaching sonography users an ergonomically optimised way of working. The results could suggest that ergonomics training is incorporated more thoroughly into ultrasound training curricula to minimise health risks for future users.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-025-00457-6Musculoskeletal disordersNordic questionnaireKinematic analysisRULAInertial sensorsUltrasonography |
| spellingShingle | Johannes Matthias Weimer Bastian Dumancic Julia Weinmann-Menke Josefine Rombusch Benjamin Ernst Alexa Krambeck Rejane Golbach Eugen Topal Christian Maurer-Grubinger Carlotta Ille David A. Groneberg Christina Erbe Daniela Ohlendorf Fabian Holzgreve A new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (ErgoSon) Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology Musculoskeletal disorders Nordic questionnaire Kinematic analysis RULA Inertial sensors Ultrasonography |
| title | A new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (ErgoSon) |
| title_full | A new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (ErgoSon) |
| title_fullStr | A new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (ErgoSon) |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (ErgoSon) |
| title_short | A new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (ErgoSon) |
| title_sort | new approach for the implementation of ergonomics in sonography to prevent work related musculoskeletal disorders ergoson |
| topic | Musculoskeletal disorders Nordic questionnaire Kinematic analysis RULA Inertial sensors Ultrasonography |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-025-00457-6 |
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