Collaborating with cardiac sonographers to develop work-related musculoskeletal disorder interventions

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Surveys consistently show high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal discomfort (WRMSD) among imaging technologists, including cardiac sonographers, for over 20 years.
• Intervention research specifically for sonographers remains limited despite the persistent issue of WRMSD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify needs and opportunities for developing interventions to mitigate WRMSD risk factors in sonographers.
• To present the development and pilot testing of two novel interventions for cardiac sonographers.

Main Methods:

• A participatory approach was employed to identify sonographer needs and intervention opportunities.
• Two interventions were iteratively developed and refined into functional prototypes.
• Pilot testing of the prototypes was conducted by practicing cardiac sonographers.

Main Results:

• Needs and opportunities for WRMSD intervention development were identified through a collaborative process.
• Two targeted interventions for cardiac sonographers were developed and evaluated.
• One intervention has been successfully implemented into daily practice by sonographers.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant opportunity for engineers and ergonomists to address WRMSD in sonographers.
• Collaborative development with sonographers is crucial for creating effective and usable interventions.
• The developed interventions show promise in reducing sonographers' exposure to WRMSD risk factors.