Surgeons as Educators A Guide for Academic Development and Teaching Excellence

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Table 22.2 Prevalence and location of musculoskeletal discomfort and common injuries by sur-
gical specialty

Surgical

specialty

Prevalence of

musculoskeletal

discomfort

attributed to

operating

Location of

discomfort Reported injuries

General 80–83% [ 13 , 21 ] Neck: 83% [ 13 ]

Lower back: 68% [ 13 ]

Shoulder: 58% [ 13 ]

Upper back: 53% [ 13 ]

40% Digital nerve injury

(with laparoscopic surgery) [ 22 ]

Thoracic 77% [ 15 ] Back: 83% [ 15 ]

Neck: 82% [ 15 ]

Shoulder: 76% [ 15 ]

Colorectal 36% [ 23 ] 42% Hand/finger injury [ 23 ]

10% Neck injury [ 23 ]

9% Back injury [ 23 ]

Obstetrics-

gynecology

67% [ 24 ] Back: 77% [ 25 ],

Lower back: 76% [ 26 ]

Neck: 74% [ 25 ],

73% [ 26 ]

Shoulder: 67% [ 26 ]

Upper back: 62% [ 26 ]

Wrist/hand: 70%

[ 25 ], 61% [ 26 ]

Eyestrain: 17% [ 12 ]

15% Vertebral disc prolapse [ 25 ]

Gynecology-

oncology

61–88% [ 9 , 27 ] Neck: 59% [ 9 ]

Back: 54% [ 9 ]

Shoulder: 54% [ 9 ]

Neurosurgery 80% [ 21 ] 7% Lumbar disc disease

requiring surgery [ 28 ]

5% Cervical disc disease [ 28 ]

Ophthalmology 73% [ 29 ]

52% [ 30 ]

Neck: 58% [ 29 ],

33% [ 30 ]

Mid-back: 30% [ 29 ]

Lower back: 33%

[ 30 ], 31% [ 29 ]

Shoulder: 27% [ 29 ]

Upper extremity:

33% [ 30 ]

26% Bulging or herniated

discs [ 29 ]

8% Spinal injury [ 29 ]

Oral and

maxillofacial

87% [ 31 ] Back: 87% [ 32 ],

64% [ 31 ]

Neck: 73% [ 32 ],

53% [ 31 ]

Ankle/foot: 53% [ 32 ]

Knee: 47% [ 32 ]

Wrist: 37% [ 32 ]

Hip/thigh: 33% [ 32 ]

Hand: 30% [ 32 ]

Shoulder: 21% [ 32 ]

Elbow: 20% [ 32 ]

(continued)

22 Surgical Ergonomics