Effects of horizontal console position on operator muscular stress during cardiac ultrasonic diagnosis

Ultrasound examinations tend to put sonographers in unnatural postures, which may lead to musculoskeletal disorders. In order to address this issue, in this study, we focused on the horizontal position of the console of a diagnostic ultrasound system to quantitatively assess the influence of the work plane position on musculoskeletal stress cardiac ultrasonic diagnosis in the bed-sitting position. Five subjects were asked to simulate a scanning task that involved touching five points on the console, setting the work plane at different positions in the space. Electromyogram of each part of the body indicated that the least stressful position of the left hand was about 350 mm from the center of the trunk in the longitudinal (front-rear) direction and 100 mm left from the center of the trunk in the lateral (left–right) direction. It is necessary to rotate the console in front of the operator for this purpose.