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Intraoperative OR-Stretch Microbreaks: A pre-implementation study on two break scheduling strategies.
Hamid Norasi1,2, Joseph Y Kim1,2, Mojgan Zoaktafi1
1Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Healthcare Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Work (Reading, Mass.)
|July 8, 2026
Summary
Microbreaks, scheduled using the OR-Stretch Web-App, can significantly improve surgeons' physical performance and reduce fatigue. The Break-60 schedule, with breaks every 60 minutes, appears more favorable than Break-30 for surgical ergonomics.
Area of Science:
- Surgical ergonomics and occupational health.
- Human-computer interaction in healthcare.
- Musculoskeletal disorder prevention in surgery.
Background:
- Surgeons experience high risks of musculoskeletal disorders from prolonged surgery, awkward postures, and repetitive tasks.
- Microbreaks are a promising intervention to mitigate surgical discomfort and fatigue.
- The OR-Stretch Web-App was developed to facilitate microbreak implementation during operations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the intraoperative usability and effectiveness of two microbreak scheduling strategies (Break-30 and Break-60) via the OR-Stretch Web-App.
- To gather surgeons' feedback on barriers to implementing the OR-Stretch Web-App.
- To assess the impact of microbreaks on surgeon well-being and performance.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, within-subjects crossover design involving 14 surgeons.
- Three conditions were tested: microbreaks every 30 minutes (Break-30), every 60 minutes (Break-60), and no breaks (Baseline).
- Outcomes measured via self-reported surveys on discomfort, fatigue, workload, and usability.
Main Results:
- Both Break-30 and Break-60 conditions demonstrated significant self-reported improvements in physical performance, mental focus, pain/discomfort, and fatigue (28.6%–78.6%).
- No significant differences were found between Break-30 and Break-60 in subjective evaluations.
- Surgeons indicated a preference for the Break-60 schedule over Break-30.
Conclusions:
- The OR-Stretch Web-App shows potential as a surgical ergonomic intervention.
- Further improvements in Web-App user-friendliness are needed.
- Strategies to integrate microbreaks seamlessly into surgical workflows are crucial for future adoption.
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