Set up right from day one

a gentle guide to ergonomics and positioning

Close to nine in ten sonographers feel aches from scanning at some point (Evans, Roll, & Baker, 2009). Most of it comes down to setup and habits you can learn now, while everything is new anyway.

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Set up the room first

Bed first. Raise or lower it so your scanning arm stays close to your side.
Then your chair. Feet flat, back supported, wheels locked.
Bring the patient close. A few inches of scooting saves hours of reaching.
Center the monitor. Straight ahead, top of the screen at or a little below eye level (OSHA, n.d.).
Arm close, grip light. Aim to keep shoulder abduction under 30 degrees (Murphey, 2017).
Support your arm. Rest your forearm on the bed or a cushion when you can.

The 60 second reset between patients

Doorway chest stretch, 20 seconds each side
Wrist stretch, 15 seconds each way
Ten slow shoulder blade squeezes

Stretch gently and skip anything that causes sharp pain.

Signs to pay attention to

Soreness that does not fade overnight, tingling in your hand, a weaker grip or pain at the base of your thumb. If anything lasts more than two weeks, mention it to a healthcare provider. Early care makes the biggest difference.

Sources

Evans, K., Roll, S., & Baker, J. (2009). Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) among registered diagnostic medical sonographers and vascular technologists: A representative sample. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, 25(6), 287 to 299.

Murphey, S. (2017). Work related musculoskeletal disorders in sonography. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, 33(5), 354 to 369.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). Computer workstations eTool: Monitors. osha.gov