Physical Ergonomics

Recently, I’ve been catching up on some journal reading and came across an ergonomics article in an online plastic surgery journal that I wanted to share. We feel your pain The article, Stretching and Strength Training to Improve Postural Ergonomics and Endurance in the Operating Room, offers all the usual warnings about musculoskeletal discomfort among … Continue reading “Stretches and Strength Exercises for Surgeons”

The need to lift dogs is common in small animal clinics. What are some ways that we can make lifting easier and less challenging on our bodies?

Let’s start with some ergonomics fundamentals: lifting and carrying. This post shares some basic concepts that we’ll be able to apply later to specific veterinary activities like lifting and carrying dogs.

For the spay-neuter vet, pandemic social distancing has been a slow time. I’ve had plenty of opportunity to stay home sleeping, baking, playing Pokemon Go and watching birds (often these two are simultaneous activities), eating fiddleheads, and seeing spring unfurl. With services starting to reopen, I’m getting ready to go back to work on Monday, … Continue reading “Needle holder grasps in surgery”

Like a lot of people, I find myself working from home these days. Between the needs for social distancing and for preserving medical supplies, my “day job” as a spay neuter vet has been sidelined, so I find myself dreaming up new projects and spending more time in front of a screen. As we find … Continue reading “Computers and ergonomics: Working from home”

Those of you who have spent any time with me during the past 2 years have probably heard about my work as the editor of the long-awaited Spay Neuter Textbook. Well, it’s finally here! The e-book version has been available for a few months, but the print copies just arrived at the publisher’s this week. … Continue reading “The Spay Neuter Textbook is Here!”

Within the last few months, I suddenly have become middle aged, or at least my eyes have. I’ve been using readers (“cheaters”) the past few years occasionally for reading, and had found them necessary during feline physical exams in order to age the little kittens by their tiny incisors, but it was only this spring … Continue reading “Vision in surgery”

Today’s post is a little different: I’m sharing the results of a survey of HQHVSN veterinarians and their choices in instrumentation and suture for spay and neuter surgeries. Instruments and suture are the interface between us and our patients, and are integral to every aspect of our surgical performance: our efficiency, our comfort, and our … Continue reading “Surgery Packs and Suture in HQHVSN”

As I prepare to go back to work tomorrow after my 20-day “surgical vacation” (see here for why I needed a surgical vacation), I have been reminded of one of the reasons I first became interested in human factors and ergonomics in veterinary practice: our willingness to work while physically injured or unwell. Eleven years … Continue reading “Return to Work”

In order to find pictures to demonstrate surgical posture, I went again to Google images to find some pictures of spaying and neutering, and came across several with surgeons in what appeared to be uncomfortable and ergonomically risky postures. Here are a couple of photos that I found: https://images.app.goo.gl/7Fhew62NGyxoGRe96 https://images.app.goo.gl/QmP7Mmq6uqSUKyGh7 Both of these pictures show trainee … Continue reading “Surgical Ergonomics: Movement and Posture”