Ergonomic Interventions and Technology in Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Sonographers (2000-2025): A Systematic Mapping Review
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: ABSTRACT The sonography profession faces a persistent occupational health crisis, with nearly 90% of practitioners reporting work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) despite two decades of ergonomic education. This study performs a definitive bibliometric analysis to map the evolution of ergonomic technology and interventions for WRMSDs from 2000 to 2025. Addressing this unabated prevalence of injury is paramount to ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of the imaging workforce amid rising clinical demands. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, the methodology utilized the Scopus database to extract a curated dataset of 93 peer-reviewed publications. Quantitative and network analyses were performed using VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix R-package to evaluate publication growth, leading contributors, and thematic clusters. The findings reveal a conceptual shift from foundational hazard identification toward high-order technological solutions, such as workstation automation and specialised transducer handles. Notably, the results indicate that traditional education-only models have reached a maximum threshold, as environmental constraints and high patient volumes frequently override individual behavioural changes. By providing the first integrated evaluation of the transition from awareness to technology-driven intervention, this study fills a critical gap in the literature regarding the structural role of technology as a prevention support tool. In practice, these findings provide a roadmap for hospital administrators and manufacturers to prioritise proactive environmental transformation over individual posture correction to safeguard practitioners’ health.
Source: medRxiv
Institutions: Accra Technical University, York St John University
Language: English
Subfield: Human Factors and Ergonomics
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7213455311