Ergonomic assessment of sonography workplace and posture parameters using digital human modeling

Various studies have shown that sonographers experience work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) due to the nature of their profession. Even though these WMSDs are very prevalent and expensive, they can often be prevented with simple ergonomic interventions. While traditional ergonomic assessment methods have been effective for many decades, they often tend to be costly and time-consuming. Therefore, there has been an increased interest in modern ergonomic assessment tools, such as digital human modeling (DHM). In the case of sonography, it is difficult to replicate the sonography work environment in a laboratory setting, which is another motivation for the use of DHM to study the dynamics of the work environment where sonographers work. Therefore, the objective of this research is to study the impact of various workplace and human posture related factors on the sonographers' body using digital human modeling.;More specifically, this research uses Jack TM 7.0 to simulate the sonography process. In particular, sonography related scanning and typing tasks were analyzed in an experimental design that includes gender, percentile, and body rotation angle under two separate postures: standing and sitting. The results of this research showed that in order to keep sonography working process in the safe zone, an ergonomic chair or instrument is necessary; female sonographers faces less stress than male sonographers; sonographers in the lower percentile range face less stress than those in the higher percentile range; and, finally, it is better to keep the rotation angle of all body part within the suggested rotation range and near the mode value. In conclusion, this research demonstrates and emphasizes the significance of digital human modeling for assessing the ergonomics of various patient handling activities in the healthcare industry.