Digestive endoscopy and risk of upper limb biomechanical overload.
BACKGROUND
For several years the literature has reported a high prevalence of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders among medical staff carrying out digestive endoscopy.


OBJECTIVE
The EPM research unit, in cooperation with the Italian Society of Digestive Endoscopy (SIED) and with the patronage of the Italian Society of Ergonomics (SIE), undertook research that would permit assessment of upper limb biomechanical overload using the OCRA method during gastroscopy and colonoscopy and, via a pilot study, collect health data on 179 workers employed in endoscopy services.


RESULTS
Risk analysis showed slight exposure levels for the arm bearing the instrument and a medium-to-high exposure for the other arm. However, the study of diseases in this sample showed a higher prevalence than in the reference population not exposed to risk for the upper limbs and in particular in the hand-wrist area.


CONCLUSIONS
Risk analysis highlighted possible ergonomic measures that would be easy to implement and which would significantly reduce the risk.
Battevi
N
N
IRCCS Policlinico-Mangiagalli-Regina Elena Foundation and Don Gnocchi-Onlus Foundation, Milan, Italy. epmnatale@tiscali.it
Menoni
Olga
O
Cosentino
F
F
Vitelli
Nora
N
D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016474:Weight-Bearing