EVALUATION OF ERGONOMIC RISK FACTORS AMONG VETERINARY ULTRASONOGRAPHERS ELISSA RANDALL,CHAD HANSEN,DAVID GILKEY,ANUJA P ATIL,ANNETTE BACHAND,JOHN ROSECRANCE, DAVID DOUPHRATE Between 65% and 91% of human-patient sonographers report musculoskeletal symptoms related to their work activities. Ergonomic risk factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) include force, repetition, and awkward postures of the upper extremities. We hypothesized that veteri- nary sonographers experience similar risk factor exposures as their colleagues in human-patient sonography, and that work-related exposures may lead to similar prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography published MSD prevention guidelines in 2003. Similar guidance for sonographers examining animal patients does not exist. This cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among veterinary sonographers and identify reported risk factors. A 59-item survey questionnaire was administered via email to veterinary specialists likely to perform ultrasound. Musculoskeletal pain related to performing ultrasound exams was reported by 62% of the respondents. Musculoskeletal symptoms were significantly as- sociated with female gender (odds ratio [OR], 4.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.04–10.19), age (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01, 1.10), previous work-related trauma (OR, 6.86; 95% CI, 1.71, 27.40), not consistently using a normal height chair (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.19, 5.80), and 15 ◦ –45 ◦ abduction of shoulder (OR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.11, 4.92) . It was concluded that the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among veterinary sonographers was similar to that occurring in human-patient sonographers. C  2012 Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound. Key words: ergonomic, MSDs, risk factors, sonography, veterinary sonographers. Introduction T HE REPORTED PREVALENCE of work-related muscu- loskeletal symptoms among human-patient sonogra- phers ranges from 65% to 91%. 1–11 Performing sonogra- phy involves frequent wrist motion, awkward trunk and upper extremity posture while manipulating a hand-held transducer, and exerting upper extremity forces to sus- tain contact with the patient. Sonographic procedures typ- ically range from 10 –to 60 min perpatient session. 4 Var- ious contact angles may create awkward wrist, arm, and shoulder postures. Sonography may also require that the operator moves into awkward neck and trunk positions to access the patient and/or view the monitor to ensure From the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sci- ences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1681 (Randall, Hansen, Gilkey, Patil, Bachand, Rosecrance) and School of Public Health, University of Texas, San Antonio (Douphrate), TX 78229, Supported in part by the College Research Council at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. Presented as a poster presentation at the 2010 ACVR Annual Scien- tific Conference, Asheville, NC. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Elissa Randall, 1620 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523. E-mail: elissa.randall@ colostate.edu Received July 20, 2011; accepted for publication March 22, 2012. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2012.01942.x Vet Radio & Ultrasound, Vol. 00, No. 0, 2012, pp 1–6. the necessary anatomic location, image, or therapeutic fo- cus. The musculoskeletal symptom risk factors associated with human-patient sonography are associated with mus- culoskeletal disorders (MSD). 4–7, 9 In response to high mus- culoskeletal symptom prevalences in human-patient sonog- raphy, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) created the Industrial Standards for the Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Sonography to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms and MSDs among sonographers. 12 The demands of performing veterinary sonography are similar to those associated with performing sonography in human patients. These similarities suggest that sono- graphers examining animals are exposed to analogous physical risk factors as their counterparts, who exam- ine people. However, industry standards for MSD risk prevention currently do not exist for professionals per- forming sonography on animals. Given that the expo- sures between veterinary and human-patient sonography appear similar, the OSHA/SDMS guidance document, rec- ommendations, and procedures should be applicable to veterinary sonography. Our cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among veterinary sonographers and identify associated risk factors within the industry. Our ultimate goal was to 1