A study of wrist angles when using portable ultrasound systems with a wrist supporting device

It has been widely known that typing on a keyboard and using a mouse for extended periods of time can affect or exacerbate musculoskeletal disorders of forearms or CTS (carpal tunnel syndrome). Most studies related to this have reported that the flexion/extension angle of wrists and radial/ulnar deviation angle of wrists, as well as the pronation/supination angle of the forearms, can cause an increase in activity of extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU), muscle fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders in forearms. There are also along with frequent reports of CTS incidence resulting from an increase of intracarpal canal pressure (ICCP). What kind of clinical impact will result from typing on a portable ultrasound system for diagnosing patients rather than on a standard computer? Portable ultrasound systems are designed to have small footprints for easy carrying and immediate access for use in emergencies or surgeries, and they are designed to be similar to laptops in order to make them as small as possible. However, there are issues raised by researchers regarding such portable ultrasound systems. It is claimed that the disadvantages from such shapes include leaving the wrist or the forearm in the air without a wrist-supporting device, causing significant burdens on the wrist and forearm. This study aims to identify the impact of muscular fatigue on the forearm and the pressure to the carpal canal while using portable ultrasound systems by varying the wrist angle during use. It also aims to examine the usefulness of recently developed portable ultrasound systems by comparing these wrist angles when using portable ultrasound systems with a wrist supporting device (new model) and those without a support (conventional model).