Neck Pain Musculoskeletal clinical trials

Neck Posturing in Surgeons During Microsurgery Procedures Using Upright Go 2 Device

Consultant and senior registrars performing microsurgery will be invited to participate in this Study. The study will take place at single site (Beaumont Hospital). A questionnaire to collect demographic information (age, height, sex, year of training, prior neck trauma or know neck issues) will be given to the consented surgeons. Additionally, surgery characteristics will be recorded (procedure, surgeon role (i.e lead or assisting), table height, frequency of adjustment of table height, and use of sitting or step stool, headlight, and/or loupes for >50% of the procedure). A postural training device, Upright Go 2 will be positioned at the spinous process of the cervical vertebrae of each surgeon and used to measure neck positions during microsurgical procedures. The device will be calibrated to an ideal neutral cervical spine position, so that excessive flexion and extension of the neck can be recorded. The device contains built-in sensors that provide bio-feedback in the form of gentle vibrations if posture has deviated from neutral position. During the first stage of the study the device will be set to record cervical spine positioning without bio-feedback signals. This will be used to record duration of time surgeons held maladaptation postures. The second stage will involve real-time feedback through the device. For surgeons who consent, bio-feedback signals will be given once deviated from a neutral posture for >1 minute. Response of surgeons to bio-feedback signals will also be recorded. The Neck Disability index score will be used to assess for neck pain and the functional implications in relation to reported neck pain. This will be completed following study completion.