On-the-Job Pain and Injury as Related to Adaptive Ergonomic Equipment in the Sonographer’s Workplace and Area

Abstract

The proportion of sonographers who scan in pain is increasing, in spite of recommendations and guidelines for proper body mechanics and for the use of ergonomic equipment in the workplace. No study has examined in detail the type of equipment that is available to sonographers in the workplace and whether sonographers who have access to ergonomic equipment are scanning in pain. This study evaluated the proportions of sonographers who had access to various types of ergonomic equipment and compared the results with the prevalence of scanning-related pain. Most sonographers had access to ergonomic features manufactured into ultrasound machines but had less access to equipment provided by employers, such as scanning chairs and cable braces. Sonographers who had access to machines that had swiveling keyboards reported less pain and injury than those who did not.