Wearable Technology for Lower Limbs Ergonomic Risk Assessment of Surgeons

Surgeons are exposed to work-related physical risk factors that contribute to the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD), yet the scientific literature addressing WRMSD in the lower limbs remains sparse and fragmented. Despite this, research has shown that prolonged standing and sustained upright postures during surgical procedures are significant contributors to the development of lower limb WRMSD. Moreover, it is crucial to acknowledge that lower limb WRMSD may compromise a surgeon’s precision and motor skills, given the importance of the lower limbs in ensuring stability and balance. Although there is a clear need for targeted ergonomic risk assessments, the current tools are limited in their ability to specifically evaluate lower limb risks, and the data collection methods often rely on self-reporting and observational approaches. This work aims to synthesize the evidence on the use of wearable sensors for lower limb ergonomic risk assessment of surgeons performing surgeries. It includes a comprehensive analysis of the assessments outlined in the studies. The PRISMA guidelines were applied for selecting the papers from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Among 158 articles initially identified, five were selected. The employed wearable sensors were inertial sensors to measure body-posture angles, surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors to monitor muscle activity parameters, and electrodermal activity (EDA) sensors to measure the variations that occur on the skin electrical properties. The paper’s findings highlight its potential to establish best practices in lower limb ergonomic risk assessment methodologies and contribute to the development of interventions aimed at reducing exposure to risk factors associated with the development of lower limb WRMSD among surgeons.