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Angela Butwin_M.S. THESIS FINAL.pdf (2.1 MB)

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Teaching a Series of Mind-Body Techniques to Address the Risk of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Sonography Students: A Pilot Study

Butwin, Angela Nicole
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460898220

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Allied Medicine.
One population of healthcare workers for which the link between job specific activities and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) has been reported are sonographers. Existing literature on the topic has focused on self-reported survey data which has demonstrated that upwards of 80% of sonographers perform their jobs in pain. Many studies have identified risk factors for WRMSD relating to the micro-ergonomic interface between sonographer and equipment and the macro-ergonomic interface between sonographer and hospital organization. However, very few prospective or intervention studies which address these risks have been executed. Recent research has demonstrated the feasibility of mind-body techniques in the improvement of micro- as well as macro-level ergonomic concerns for populations of professionals at-risk for developing WRMSD. The current study was designed as a prospective teaching pilot of a series of mind-body techniques for a group of student sonographers. The proposed research question is: What combination of mind-body techniques, taught to a cohort of novice sonography students, would provide exploratory reduction of the risk of WRMSD? A pre-post experimental design was employed and longitudinal data were collected from a cohort of first year sonography students at The Ohio State University (n=12). In order to measure variables of self-reported health influenced by micro-and macro-ergonomic factors, a set of surveys was administered to participants at study baseline and upon completion of the interventions: the Short-Form Health survey, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Visual Analog Scale for upper extremity pain. Students who participated in the study were exposed to two types of interventions: ergonomics education and mind-body techniques. As ergonomics education is a curricular requirement of accredited sonography programs, this intervention was delivered to all participants. The two mind-body techniques employed were biofeedback and mindful sonography yoga and cueing. Participants were randomly assigned to a level of experimental treatment: ergonomics education + biofeedback (BF, n=4), ergonomics education + biofeedback + mindful sonography yoga and cueing (BFYM, n=4), or ergonomics education + mindful sonography yoga and cueing (YM, n=4). These interventions were delivered in a series of six sessions. Additional postural analysis was performed and muscle activity measures were collected for groups who received the biofeedback intervention. While analysis of the self-reported survey data did not demonstrate statistically significant changes for any of the treatment groups over the study period, certain participants showed development in micro- and macro-ergonomic behaviors. The YM group demonstrated an improvement in mental health, stress level, and right upper extremity pain. Three of the study participants experienced a clinically significant reduction in right upper extremity pain, one from the BFYM group and two from the YM group. Also, biofeedback training was shown to improve posture in both groups who received this treatment, and to a greater extent for the BFYM group. While the statistical power of the results was limited by a small sample size, the findings of this pilot study indicate the need for future, larger scale studies which investigate the use of ergonomics education and mind-body techniques to address micro- and macro-ergonomic risk factors of WRMSD for sonographers.
Kevin Evans, PhD (Advisor)
Maryanna Klatt, PhD (Committee Member)
Carolyn Sommerich, PhD (Committee Member)
121 p.
Health Care; Health Sciences; Occupational Health; Occupational Safety
work-related musculoskeletal disorders; WRMSD; micro-ergonomic; macro-ergonomic; sonography; sonography risk factors; mind-body techniques; ergonomics; ergonomic interventions; student sonographers

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Butwin, A. N. (2016). Teaching a Series of Mind-Body Techniques to Address the Risk of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Sonography Students: A Pilot Study [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460898220

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Butwin, Angela. Teaching a Series of Mind-Body Techniques to Address the Risk of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Sonography Students: A Pilot Study. 2016. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460898220.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Butwin, Angela. "Teaching a Series of Mind-Body Techniques to Address the Risk of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Sonography Students: A Pilot Study." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460898220

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.