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Man H, Rueda J, Vega J, Vinstrup J, Andersen LL, Navarro E. Identification of physically demanding work tasks among cleaners: field study using electromyography. Ann Work Expo Health 2024:wxae053. [PMID: 38913853 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxae053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
While chronic forearm pain is a common and debilitating condition among cleaners, the most physically demanding tasks remain unidentified. The present field study examines forearm muscle activity during 9 common cleaning tasks in a real working environment. Seven healthy cleaners participated in this study (age: 35.17 ± 9.62 yr; height: 168.17 ± 8.06 cm; weight: 77.14 ± 13.78 kg; experience: 5.60 ± 3.29 yr). Surface wireless electromyography (EMG) was recorded from 2 muscles on both sides of the upper limb, flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), and extensor carpi radialis (ECR), and normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC). Top-3 demanding high-force tasks (90th percentile EMG) were the rough floor, dirty rough floor, and office floor mopping for the FCU, and mopping high walls, ceiling mopping, and baize cleaning for the ECR. Top-3 static work tasks (10th percentile EMG) were mopping low walls, ceiling mopping, and dirty rough floors mopping for the FCU and mopping of high walls, low walls, and ceiling for the ECR. The study identified the forearm muscles' most physically demanding work tasks during cleaning tasks. The development of better working tools is recommended to avoid high-force overload as well as prolonged static overload of these muscles in cleaners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Man
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Departamento de Salud y Rendimiento Humano, C/ de Martín Fierro, 7, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Javier Rueda
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Departamento de Salud y Rendimiento Humano, C/ de Martín Fierro, 7, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Jesús Vega
- Geseme SL, Departamento de Biomecánica y Salud Laboral, C. d'Aragó, 25, Barcelona 08015, Spain
| | - Jonas Vinstrup
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Department of Ergonomic Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars L Andersen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Department of Ergonomic Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Enrique Navarro
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Departamento de Salud y Rendimiento Humano, C/ de Martín Fierro, 7, Madrid 28040, Spain
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Santiago RJ, Baptista JS, Magalhães A, Costa JT. Impact of a 10-min typing task in the development of trapezius myalgia: a preliminary observational study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS 2023; 29:115-120. [PMID: 34989660 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2022.2026064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Objectives. Computer use, as in typing, might contribute to trapezius myalgia (TM) development by increasing upper trapezius (UT) muscle fatigue. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether 10 min of performing a typing task by a population at risk would show significant changes in surface electromyography (sEMG) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) measurements. Supported and unsupported forearms postures are compared. Methods. Sixteen asymptomatic volunteers with minimum daily use of a computer of 5 h were randomized into two groups: fully supported forearms (n = 8) and unsupported forearms (n = 8). The protocol consisted of 10 min of a typing task, and the workstation was set according to the usual participant profile. sEMG and PPT readings were collected from both UT muscles. Results. PPT and sEMG readings were not significantly different among the two groups. Supported forearms had less reduction of PPT and a smaller increase in electrical activity. Conclusions. Ten minutes of typing seems insufficient to observe any significant changes that could lead to TM development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui José Santiago
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal.,Porto Biomechanics Laboratory (Labiomep), University of Porto, Portugal
| | | | - André Magalhães
- School of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Portugal
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The Effect of Vibration Massage on Fatigue of the Upper Trapezius Muscle during Different Tasks. Symmetry (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/sym14102158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Vibratory massage is now widely used to alleviate muscle fatigue. The effects of different vibration massage intensities on left and right upper trapezius (UT) fatigue have not been examined. Therefore, the present study first examined whether a vibration massage intervention had an effect on UT muscles and second compared the effects of 2 different levels (36 Hz and 46 Hz) of vibratory massage on the right and left oblique muscles under 3 different fatigue conditions. Methods: A total of 23 participants (12 female, 11 male; age: 26.5 ± 3.9 year, height: 170.5 ± 1.6 cm, mass: 57.5 ± 1.5 kg, BMI: 24.3 ± 1.6 kg/m2) were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The 2 groups of subjects completed isometric contraction fatigue tasks of 30 s of fatigue, 60 s of fatigue and 90 s of fatigue in turn. The specific task of isotonic contraction was performed by subjects holding a 1 kg dumbbell in each hand and performing a straight arm weighted lateral supination exercise. After each exercise, the intervention group was randomized to apply a massage device with a vibration intensity of 36 Hz or 46 Hz on the left and right UT muscles for 5 min each. The control group did not receive any treatment. Both groups then repeated the same fatigue task as before. Then, the effects of different vibration massage interventions on UT muscles were derived by analyzing the changes in maximal voluntary contraction percentage (MVC%) of surface electromyography (sEMG) signals before and after the intervention, and the most effective vibration massage program for relieving left and right UT fatigue was summarized. Then, four classification algorithms were used to label and classify the collected sEMG data, and finally a UT muscle fatigue identification and vibration massage model was constructed. Results: After using the vibration massage level 1 (36 Hz) intervention, the MVC% of the right UT muscle showed significant reductions in the 30 s fatigue task, the 60 s fatigue task and the 90 s fatigue task (R1: p = 0.022, R2: p = 0.005, R3: p = 0.049). After using the vibration massage level 3 (46 Hz) intervention, the MVC% of the right UT muscle showed a significant decrease in both the 60 s fatigue task and the 90 s fatigue task (R2: p = 0.033, R3: p = 0.028). Significant decreases in MVC% for the left UT muscle were found only in the 90 s fatigue task (L3: p = 0.040). Then, by comparing the different performances of four commonly used classification algorithms, it was found that the bagging (accuracy = 0.860) algorithm had higher accuracy. Therefore, the bagging algorithm was used for the UT fatigue identification and vibration massage models. Conclusions: This was the first study to show the impacts of different levels of vibration massage on fatigue alleviation in the left and right UT muscles. Furthermore, the bilateral UT fatigue identification and vibration massage model developed in this study can help people to choose the most appropriate massage protocol for quick relief and relaxation of the UT muscles under three different fatigue tasks.
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Kozinc Ž, Šarabon N. Shear-wave elastography for assessment of trapezius muscle stiffness: Reliability and association with low-level muscle activity. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234359. [PMID: 32520959 PMCID: PMC7286494 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Shear-wave elastography has been recognized a useful tool for quantifying muscle stiffness, commonly reported as shear modulus, however the reports on reliability are often limited to test-retest correlations. In this study, we explored the reliability of shear-wave elastography for assessment of the trapezius muscle stiffness and its relationship with low-level muscle activity. Methods Twenty participants were included in a two-session experiment. Measurements of shear modulus and muscle activity were performed at rest and during low-level activity, induced by shoulder abduction without additional external resistance. Results Good to excellent intra-session repeatability (ICC > 0.80) and moderate inter-rater and inter-session reproducibility (ICC = 0.66–0.74) were observed. Typical errors were acceptable (7.6% of the mean value) only for intra-session measurements in resting conditions, but not acceptable for all conditions with low-level muscle activity (10.2–16.6% of the mean value). Inverse relationships between shear modulus and muscle activity at 40° and 60° of shoulder abduction (r = -0.53 and -0.57) were observed on a group level. We also found higher shear modulus in males compared to females, for the parallel probe position compared to the perpendicular position (in relation to muscle fiber orientation), and for the dominant side of the body compared to the non-dominant side. Conclusions This study showed an inverse relationship between muscle activity in low-level range and shear modulus on a group level, suggesting inherent passive stiffness could account for a larger portion of the variance (compared to muscle activity) in shear modulus when the muscle activity is low. Our results imply that shear-wave elastography can be used in research exploring muscle stiffness, however, caution is needed since only intra-session examination in resting conditions showed acceptable within-participant typical errors. The secondary analyses of the study showed higher shear modulus for males, for the non-dominant side of the body and for the parallel orientation of the ultrasound probe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Žiga Kozinc
- University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Polje, Izola, Slovenia
- University of Primorska, Andrej Marušič Institute, Muzejski trg, Koper, Slovenia
| | - Nejc Šarabon
- University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Polje, Izola, Slovenia
- S2P, Science to practice, Ltd., Laboratory for Motor Control and Motor Behavior, Tehnološki park, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- InnoRenew CoE, Human Health Department, Livade, Izola, Slovenia
- * E-mail:
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Douphrate DI, Fethke NB, Nonnenmann MW, Rodriguez A, Hagevoort R, Gimeno Ruiz de Porras D. Full-shift and task-specific upper extremity muscle activity among US large-herd dairy parlour workers. ERGONOMICS 2017; 60:1042-1054. [PMID: 27854562 PMCID: PMC7020102 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2016.1262464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
US large-herd dairy parlour workers experience a high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the upper extremity. The purpose of this study was to estimate and compare full-shift and task-specific muscle activity of the upper extremity among parlour workers. Surface electromyography data were recorded continuously throughout a full work shift for each participant (n = 60). For a subset of participants (n = 33), muscular effort was estimated for milking task cycles. Lower muscle activity levels and higher per cent muscular rest was observed among rotary parlour participants as compared to herringbone and parallel parlour participants for anterior deltoid, forearm flexor and forearm extensor muscles. These findings suggest rotary parlours may offer workstation designs or work organisational dynamics which may be more beneficial to the health and performance of the worker, as compared to parallel or herringbone parlours. Practitioner Summary: Study findings suggest milking parlour configurations present different biomechanical demands on workers which may influence worker health and performance. Our findings will enable more informed decisions regarding both engineering (e.g. parlour configuration or milking equipment) and administrative (e.g. work organisation) control strategies for large-herd milking parlours.
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Affiliation(s)
- David I Douphrate
- a School of Public Health in San Antonio , University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , San Antonio , TX , USA
| | - Nathan B Fethke
- b College of Public Health , University of Iowa , Iowa City , IA , USA
| | | | - Anabel Rodriguez
- a School of Public Health in San Antonio , University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , San Antonio , TX , USA
| | - Robert Hagevoort
- c Dairy Extension , New Mexico State University , Clovis , NM , USA
| | - David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras
- a School of Public Health in San Antonio , University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , San Antonio , TX , USA
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Silva NS, de Almeida PHTQ, Mendes PVB, Komino CSM, Jùnior JMN, Da Cruz DMC. Electromyographic Activity of the Upper Limb in Three Hand Function Tests. Hong Kong J Occup Ther 2017; 29:10-18. [PMID: 30186068 PMCID: PMC6092000 DOI: 10.1016/j.hkjot.2016.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective/Background Occupational therapists usually assess hand function through standardised
tests, however, there is no consensus on how the scores assigned to hand
dexterity can accurately measure hand function required for daily activities
and few studies evaluate the movement patterns of the upper limbs during
hand function tests. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in muscle
activation patterns during the performance of three hand dexterity
tests. Methods Twenty university students underwent a surface electromyographic (sEMG)
assessment of eight upper limb muscles during the performance of the box and
blocks test (BEST), nine-hole peg test (9HPT), and functional dexterity test
(FDT). The description and comparison of each muscle activity during the
test performance, gender differences, and the correlation between individual
muscles’ sEMG activity were analysed through appropriate statistics. Results Increased activity of proximal muscles was found during the performance of
BEST (p < .001). While a higher activation of the distal muscles occurred
during the FDT and 9HPT performance, no differences were found between them.
Comparisons of the sEMG activity revealed a significant increase in the
muscle activation among women (p = .05). Strong and positive correlations (r
> .5; p < .05) were observed between proximal and distal sEMG
activities, suggesting a coordinate pattern of muscle activation during hand
function tests. Conclusion The results suggested the existence of differences in the muscle activation
pattern during the performance of hand function evaluations. Occupational
therapists should be aware of unique muscle requirements and its impact on
the results of dexterity tests during hand function evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Sanches Silva
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos - UFSCar, Sao Carlos, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Paulo Vinicius Braga Mendes
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos - UFSCar, Sao Carlos, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - José Marques Novo Jùnior
- Department of Bioengineering, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Sao Carlos, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel Marinho Cezar Da Cruz
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos - UFSCar, Sao Carlos, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Chaikumarn M, Nakphet N, Janwantanakul P. Repeatability of electromyography normalization of the neck and shoulder muscles in symptomatic office workers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS 2017; 24:422-430. [DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2017.1314120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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