Chronic Neck Pain in Surgeons

Author

Alex Adams, Union College - Schenectady, NYFollow
Eliza Munns, Union College - Schenectady, NYFollow
Hannah Tokarski, Union College - Schenectady, NYFollow
Charlie Withey, Union College - Schenectady, NYFollow

Date of Award

6-2023

Document Type

Restricted (Opt-Out)

Department

Bioengineering

First Advisor

Jennifer Currey

Language

English

Keywords

Surgery, Neck Pain, Back Pain, Chronic Pain, ergonomics

Abstract

Performing surgery is a physically demanding job that requires immense focus and precision for long durations of time. Often, surgeons operate in suboptimal positions while wearing heavy surgical headlamps leading to high-risk neck flexion angles. Due to the current technology and the physical requirements of the operating room, 75% of surgeons report having experienced neck pain throughout their careers. This neck pain can lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders, impacting a surgeon's career longevity. With this in mind, we designed a wearable surgical light that removes the extra load on the neck and alerts the surgeon of high-risk neck flexion angles for real-time posture correcting.

Recommended Citation

Adams, Alex; Munns, Eliza; Tokarski, Hannah; and Withey, Charlie, "Chronic Neck Pain in Surgeons" (2023). Honors Theses. 2758.
https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/2758