An ergonomic evaluation of convex probe designs using objective and subjective measures

Abstract

Use of a convex probe suitable to the hand and operating motion of the probe can contribute to prevention of sonographers from musculoskeletal disorders at work. The present study presents an ergonomic evaluation process customized to convex array ultrasound probe design. Various convex probe designs were evaluated by a mix of nine sonographers and medical doctors in terms of EMG activities of the upper extremity muscles, motion ranges of the upper extremity joints, and subjective satisfaction measures. A randomized controlled testing was administered for the probe designs in a simulation workstation at a designated speed of tilting, pushing, and rotating of convex probe. The subjective satisfaction results were found effective to identify preferred design features in detail, while the EMG and motion analysis results to identify a preferred probe design overall in terms of muscular load at the hand and postural comfort of the forearm.