Prevalence and risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries related to endoscopy

Abstract

Background: There are limited data regarding work-related injury among endoscopists.

Objective: To define the prevalence of endoscopy-related musculoskeletal injuries and their impact on clinical practice and to identify physician and practice characteristics associated with their development.

Design: Survey.

Setting: Electronic survey of active members of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy with registered e-mail addresses.

Participants: Physicians who currently or ever performed endoscopy and responded to the survey between February 2013 and November 2013.

Intervention: A 25-question, self-administered, electronic survey.

Main outcome measurements: Prevalence, location, and ramifications of work-related injuries and endoscopist characteristics and workload parameters associated with endoscopy-related injury.

Results: The survey was completed by 684 endoscopists. Of those, 362 (53%) experienced a musculoskeletal injury perceived definitely (n = 204) or possibly (n = 158) related to endoscopy. Factors associated with a higher rate of endoscopy-related injury included higher procedure volume (>20 cases/week; P < .001), greater number of hours per week spent performing endoscopy (>16 hours/week; P < .001), and total number of years performing endoscopy (P = .004). The most common sites of injury were neck and/or upper back (29%) and thumb (28%). Only 55% of injured endoscopists used practice modifications in response to injuries. Specific treatments included medications (57%), steroid injection (27%), physiotherapy (45%), rest (34%), splinting (23%), and surgery (13%).

Limitations: Self-reported data of endoscopy-related injury.

Conclusion: Among endoscopists there is a high prevalence of injuries definitely or potentially related to endoscopy. Higher procedure volume, more time doing endoscopy per week, and cumulative years performing endoscopy are associated with more work-related injuries.