Clinical trial NCT04806308: The Impact of Intraoperative Stretching Microbreaks on Otolaryngologists
Official title: The Impact of Intraoperative Stretching Microbreaks on Otolaryngologists
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Postural; Strain
Lead sponsor: George Washington University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2021-03-19
Enrollment: 100
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 100
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: There have been numerous survey-based and observational studies reporting a high percentage of otolaryngologists suffering from work-related musculoskeletal symptoms, in which more than half attributed to poor ergonomics in the operating room. Interventions have been implemented in the past to alleviate ergonomic hazards in general surgery such as intra-operative stretch breaks. However, there has not yet been an intervention done to alleviate ergonomic hazards in otolaryngologists. Our study aims to explore the efficacy of implementing intraoperative stretch breaks and assess their effect on otolaryngologists' practices and musculoskeletal pain.

Detailed description: The study subjects will be recruited voluntarily from George Washington University Hospital otolaryngology attending physicians, residents, and fellows, as well as Children's otolaryngology faculties. Pre-survey will be sent prior to the intervention to obtain background information and baseline ergonomic assessment conducted by physical therapy students. Interventions will include intra-operative stretch breaks that will be implemented by surgeons at their convenient time during the surgery. Post-survey will be sent out to obtain the subjects' experiences after each intervention.

Each survey will be sent via email using a secured third-party vendor, RedCap. Results will be retrieved only by the research assistants listed on the institutional review board (IRB). The survey will not ask for any identifying information and will not publish identifying information. The raw data will be analyzed by the PI and research assistant for publication. The study should take less than a year for data collection and analysis.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Otolaryngologists
* Currently practicing

Exclusion Criteria:

* Non-otolarynglogists
* Currently not practicing

Primary outcomes:
measure: Body part discomfort
timeFrame: Given before each surgery during control days as a baseline
measure: Body part discomfort
timeFrame: Given before each surgery during intervention days
measure: Body part discomfort
timeFrame: Given after each surgery during control days as a baseline
measure: Body part discomfort
timeFrame: Given after each surgery during intervention days
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Washington
country: United States
facility: Medical Faculty Associates
state: District of Columbia
Study officials:
References:
citation: Park AE, Zahiri HR, Hallbeck MS, Augenstein V, Sutton E, Yu D, Lowndes BR, Bingener J. Intraoperative "Micro Breaks" With Targeted Stretching Enhance Surgeon Physical Function and Mental Focus: A Multicenter Cohort Study. Ann Surg. 2017 Feb;265(2):340-346. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001665.
citation: Hallbeck MS, Lowndes BR, Bingener J, Abdelrahman AM, Yu D, Bartley A, Park AE. The impact of intraoperative microbreaks with exercises on surgeons: A multi-center cohort study. Appl Ergon. 2017 Apr;60:334-341. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.12.006. Epub 2016 Dec 29.