Ergonomic Interventions and Technology in Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Sonographers (2000-2025): A Systematic Mapping Review
- 1Accra Technical University
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.
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BibTeX
@misc{akomah2026ergonomic,
title = {{Ergonomic Interventions and Technology in Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Sonographers (2000-2025): A Systematic Mapping Review}},
author = {A. B. Akomah and A. D. Piersson and M. W. Tizumah},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.15.26363110},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.15.26363110v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Ergonomic Interventions and Technology in Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Sonographers (2000-2025): A Systematic Mapping Review
AU - A. B. Akomah
AU - A. D. Piersson
AU - M. W. Tizumah
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/15
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.15.26363110
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.15.26363110v1
AB - 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.
ER -