Digestive endoscopy and risk of upper limb biomechanical overload

For several years the literature has reported a high prevalence of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders among medical staff carrying out digestive endoscopy.

The EPM research unit, in cooperation with the Italian Society of Digestive Endoscopy (SIED) and with the patronage of the Italian Society of Ergonomics (SIE), undertook research that would permit assessment of upper limb biomechanical overload using the OCRA method during gastroscopy and colonoscopy and, via a pilot study, collect health data on 179 workers employed in endoscopy services.

Risk analysis showed slight exposure levels for the arm bearing the instrument and a medium-to-high exposure for the other arm. However, the study of diseases in this sample showed a higher prevalence than in the reference population not exposed to risk for the upper limbs and in particular in the hand-wrist area.

Risk analysis highlighted possible ergonomic measures that would be easy to implement and which would significantly reduce the risk.