Ergonomics in Endoscopy

Endoscopy is a major component of the work of gastroenterologists, with 61% of gastroenterologists reporting spending more than 40% of their time performing endoscopic procedures.¹ Endoscopists are particularly prone to sustaining musculoskeletal injuries in their practice, given that current scopes were not designed to accommodate the range of physician hand sizes and strength.² In addition, the 2023 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guidelines note that the endoscopy volume of the current-day endoscopist makes this a physically taxing career for many operators.³

The ASGE systematic review and meta-analysis found an overall endoscopy-related injury (ERI) rate of 57.7%, with survey results ranging from 39% to 89%.³ These injuries, in some cases, start during fellowship, with 1 in 5 gastrointestinal fellows developing endoscopy-related pain and/or injuries.⁴ Musculoskeletal injuries can occur as result of microtrauma caused by the repetitive motions, prolonged awkward postures, and sustained high pinch force used during endoscopy.⁵ Additional risk factors for injury include higher procedure volume (> 20 cases per week), more time spent doing endoscopy per week (> 16 hours per week), and cumulative years performing endoscopy.³