Episode 39: Treat yourself like an elite athlete with Dr. Geeta Lal
If you are one of the 60-70% of surgeons who have pain, fatigue and numbness and only recall ergonomics as “stand up straight- and suck it up” then this episode is for you.
Dr. Geeta Lal is an endocrine surgeon who experienced work-related musculoskeletal symptoms herself, like many of us have done. She first wondered if it was just her, but when she realized that musculoskeletal injuries in surgeons was more prevalent than in industries like construction work, she became committed to increasing awareness of and developing solutions to counteract the impact of poor ergonomics on surgeons' professional and
personal lives. She is the founder of Surgical Ergonomics, a speaking and coaching business, and a co-founder and Inaugural President of the new Society of Surgical Ergonomics.
She shared the effects of poor ergonomics: loss of productivity, shortened careers, loss of income to the surgeon and the hospital, and degradation of quality. She has so much to share including these highlights:
- Pay attention to your symptoms, they are not in your head
- Take breaks to reverse the posture you are holding (5 min every 30 min, micro breaks at 20 sec every 20 -30 min, or 90 sec every 45 min).
- Pay attention to your equipment and choose the lightest loupes and headlamps
- Become familiar with optimum positioning
- Join the society to help your ergonomic ideas make it to the industry where it counts (your reps are often sales reps)
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