How do we fit underground coal mining work boots?

Programme for prevention of foot dermatoses in patients with work-related skin diseases: Follow-up data of a prospective cohort study (OCCUPES)

BACKGROUND

A programme based on health education has been developed to prevent foot dermatoses (FD) in patients with work-related skin diseases (WRSD).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in a prospective cohort study (OCCUPES).

METHODS

Six and 12 months after completing the programme, follow-up questionnaires were sent to 231 patients with WRSD and FD. Assessments included occupational footwear and foot care, self-reported disease course, and health-related quality of life.

RESULTS

Response to follow-ups was >70%. Wearing functional socks and changing footwear and socks during one work shift increased (all p < 0.001). Complaints about occupational footwear decreased, including sweating and exposure to moisture/wetness. More than 60% reported improved FD while quality of life significantly increased. After 12 months, all foot symptoms were less frequent, including itch (p = 0.009), pain when walking (p = 0.005), pain in rest (p = 0.015) and smell (p = 0.001). The programme received very good ratings by the participants.

CONCLUSIONS

The intervention was effective in improving occupational footwear, foot care and preventive behaviour. It resulted in a reduced burden of FD and should be implemented in the general care of patients with WRSD.

Analysis of hallux valgus angles automatically extracted from 3D foot scans taken in North America, Europe, and Asia

The forefoot is the foot part most affected by ill-fitting shoes. Footwear fitting considers the measurements of length, width, and arch length. Toe shape has not yet been used in sizing feet and fitting shoes. This study aims to investigate the variation in toe shape, as measured by the hallux valgus angle. An automatic and reproducible hallux valgus angle measuring method using 3D foot scans with no palpation markers is proposed and applied to about half a million samples collected across North America, Europe, and Asia. The measuring method is robust and can detect the medial contour along the proximal phalanx even in extreme cases. The hallux valgus angle has a normal distribution with long tails on both sides in the general population. Large dispersions of HVA values were observed for both genders and in all three geographical regions. Practitioner summary: The hallux valgus angle has a broad distribution in the general population. Females have larger hallux valgus angles than males, and people from Asia have larger hallux valgus angles than people from North America and Europe. Shoe toe boxes should be designed to fit the actual shapes of shoppers' toes. The proposed method for measuring HVA opens a new opportunity to study the causal relationship between shoe wearing habits and HVA on a large scale.

The Impact of Footwear on Occupational Task Performance and Musculoskeletal Injury Risk: A Scoping Review to Inform Tactical Footwear

The aim of this scoping review was to investigate the impact of footwear on worker physical task performance and injury risk. The review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews protocol and registered in the Open Science Framework. Key search terms were entered into five academic databases. Following a dedicated screening process and critical appraisal, data from the final articles informing this review were extracted, tabulated, and synthesised. Of 19,614 identified articles, 50 articles informed this review. Representing 16 countries, the most common populations investigated were military and firefighter populations, but a wide range of general occupations (e.g., shipping, mining, hairdressing, and healthcare workers) were represented. Footwear types included work safety boots/shoes (e.g., industrial, gumboots, steel capped, etc.), military and firefighter boots, sports shoes (trainers, tennis, basketball, etc.) and various other types (e.g., sandals, etc.). Occupational footwear was found to impact gait and angular velocities, joint ranges of motion, posture and balance, physiological measures (like aerobic capacity, heart rates, temperatures, etc.), muscle activity, and selected occupational tasks. Occupational footwear associated with injuries included boots, conventional running shoes, shoes with inserts, harder/stiffer outsoles or thin soles, and shoes with low comfort scores-although the findings were mixed. Occupational footwear was also linked to potentially causing injuries directly (e.g., musculoskeletal injuries) as well as leading to mechanisms associated with causing injuries (like tripping and slipping).

Identifying lower limb problems and the types of safety footwear worn in the Australian wine industry: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

The Australian wine industry is a valuable part of the wider Australian economy worth approximately A$45 billion annually and employs 163,790 people either full time or part time. Australian agricultural industries are amongst the nation's most dangerous workplaces with joint, ligament, muscle and tendon injuries being commonplace along with wounds, lacerations and musculoskeletal diseases. It is therefore important to try and minimise the risk of injuries to workers. The aims of this study were to (1) identify whether lower limb problems occur in the Australian wine industry and (2) identify the types of safety footwear worn.

METHODS

Participants were recruited from the Australian wine industry. The study was a cross-sectional anonymous survey of 82 questions with n = 207 respondents. Questions related to job role performed, types of lower limb problems experienced, level of pain, restriction of activities, types of footwear worn, general health and physical health.

RESULTS

The main working roles were winery (73.4%), vineyard (52.2%), laboratory (39.6%), cellar door (32.4%) and office (8.2%), with 63.3% of participants working in more than one role. Lower back pain was the most commonly reported problem at 56% followed by foot pain (36.7%), knee pain (24.6%), leg pain (21.3%), ankle pain (17.9%), hip pain (15.5%), toe pain (13%) and heel pain (11.1%). The most popular footwear used by participants were elastic sided safety boots, followed by high cut lace up safety boots with side zip. Overall, although the pain experienced was moderate, it did not impact the workers ability to perform their duties and the majority self-reported as being in very good general and physical health.

CONCLUSION

To date no data have been published on the types of lower limb problems or the types of safety footwear worn in the Australian wine industry. This study is the first to demonstrate that elastic sided safety boots were the most popular amongst respondents and that lower limb problems occur with workers. Therefore, further research into the safety footwear used in the Australian wine industry is needed to better support workers health while working in their varied roles and conditions.

Garments and Footwear for Chronic Pain

In most human societies, wearing clothing and shoes, particularly in public settings, is commonplace and may even be legally required. Consequently, there is an abundance of clothing and footwear options for individuals of different ages, genders, body shapes and catering to different needs such as workwear and active-wear. However, many of the available options may not be viable for the millions and pain sufferers worldwide, indicating a need for adaptive apparel for the pain patient. In this perspective manuscript, we focus on the availability and efficacy of clothing designed to prevent pain in the general population as well as reduce or treat pain in pain patients. Furthermore, we put forth some considerations for the construction of adaptive garments. Such efforts and needed and could significantly improve well-being and quality of life in the pain patient.

Risk Factors Associated with the Prevalence of Upper and Lower Back Pain in Male Underground Coal Miners in Punjab, Pakistan

There is not enough data available on occupational health and safety issues of underground coal miners in Pakistan. This study focuses on spinal disorders in association with personal and occupational factors. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used for a cross-sectional study of 260 workers of 20 mines located in four districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Regression models were created for upper back pain and lower back pain of workers whose mean age is 19.8 years (±SD 1.47). Results identify the coal cutting as the most harmful work with odds ratios (ORs) 13.06 (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.7-21.5) for lower back pain and 11.2 (95% CI 3.5-19.4) for upper back pain in participants. Those with greater years of work experience had higher odds of upper back pain (2.4, 95% CI 1.4-3.5) and lower back pain (3.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.4). Number of repetitions (mean value 25.85/minute with ±SD 9.48) are also significant for spinal disorder with ORs of 4.3 (95% CI 3.2-7.4) for lower back and 1.3 (95% CI 1.0-2.4) for upper back. Many other occupational and personal factors are positively associated with the back pain in underground coal mines workers, requiring immediate ergonomic intervention.