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Dahlgren G, Liv P, Öhberg F, Slunga Järvholm L, Forsman M, Rehn B. Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive Work. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:867. [PMID: 37508893 PMCID: PMC10376394 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10070867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
An accurate rating of hand activity and force is essential in risk assessment and for the effective prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. However, it is unclear whether the subjective ratings of workers and observers correlate to corresponding objective technical measures of exposure. Fifty-nine workers were video recorded while performing a hand-intensive work task at their workplace. Self-ratings of hand activity level (HAL) and force (Borg CR10) using the Hand Activity Threshold Limit Value® were assessed. Four ergonomist observers, in two pairs, also rated the hand activity and force level for each worker from video recordings. Wrist angular velocity was measured using inertial movement units. Muscle activity in the forearm muscles flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) was measured with electromyography root mean square values (RMS) and normalized to maximal voluntary electrical activation (MVE). Kendall's tau-b correlations were statistically significant between self-rated hand activity and wrist angular velocity at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles (0.26, 0.31, and 0.23) and for the ratings of observers (0.32, 0.41, and 0.34). Significant correlations for force measures were found only for observer-ratings in five of eight measures (FCR 50th percentile 0.29, time > 10%MVE 0.43, time > 30%MVE 0.44, time < 5% -0.47) and ECR (time > 30%MVE 0.26). The higher magnitude of correlation for observer-ratings suggests that they may be preferred to the self-ratings of workers. When possible, objective technical measures of wrist angular velocity and muscle activity should be preferred to subjective ratings when assessing risks of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunilla Dahlgren
- Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Per Liv
- Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Öhberg
- Radiation Physics, Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lisbeth Slunga Järvholm
- Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mikael Forsman
- IMM Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Ergonomics, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Hälsovägen 11C, S-141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Börje Rehn
- Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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Mazaheri A, Forsman M, Haettel R, Rose LM. Reaction force exposure for tightening tool users: A psychophysical based experimental study of electric right-angle nutrunners. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2022; 103:103776. [PMID: 35483120 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Reaction forces from nutrunner tools constitute a risk of developing MSDs. However, recommendations for sustainable reaction force levels are lacking. The aim of this study was to inform recommendations regarding reaction load exposures from right-angle nutrunners. Through a psychophysics approach, experienced assembly workers subjectively assessed reaction loads when using a nutrunner in six combinations of tool tightening strategy, work-pace and screw-joint stiffness. Electromyography, tool and joint parameters were measured. Regardless of tightening strategy, joint stiffness and work-pace combinations, no large differences in acceptable tightening torque, peak reaction force, and handle displacement were observed. However, acceptable jerk and impulse differed substantially between the TurboTight® (high-acceleration) and QuickStep® (conventional) tightening strategies. Although the TurboTight® strategy overall showed reduced peak muscular activities compared to the QuickStep®, the participant-rated acceptable torque levels were similar, plausibly due to TurboTights' high jerk levels. Jerk and impulse are hypothesized to influence the perception of reaction loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mazaheri
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Division of Ergonomics, Hälsovägen 11C, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden; Atlas Copco Industrial Technique AB, Sickla Industriväg 19, 105 23, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - M Forsman
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Division of Ergonomics, Hälsovägen 11C, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - R Haettel
- Atlas Copco Industrial Technique AB, Sickla Industriväg 19, 105 23, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - L M Rose
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Division of Ergonomics, Hälsovägen 11C, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden
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Silva L, Dias M, Folgado D, Nunes M, Namburi P, Anthony B, Carvalho D, Carvalho M, Edelman E, Gamboa H. Respiratory Inductance Plethysmography to Assess Fatigability during Repetitive Work. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22114247. [PMID: 35684868 PMCID: PMC9185634 DOI: 10.3390/s22114247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cumulative fatigue during repetitive work is associated with occupational risk and productivity reduction. Usually, subjective measures or muscle activity are used for a cumulative evaluation; however, Industry 4.0 wearables allow overcoming the challenges observed in those methods. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyze alterations in respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) to measure the asynchrony between thorax and abdomen walls during repetitive work and its relationship with local fatigue. A total of 22 healthy participants (age: 27.0 ± 8.3 yrs; height: 1.72 ± 0.09 m; mass: 63.4 ± 12.9 kg) were recruited to perform a task that includes grabbing, moving, and placing a box in an upper and lower shelf. This task was repeated for 10 min in three trials with a fatigue protocol between them. Significant main effects were found from Baseline trial to the Fatigue trials (p < 0.001) for both RIP correlation and phase synchrony. Similar results were found for the activation amplitude of agonist muscle (p < 0.001), and to the muscle acting mainly as a joint stabilizer (p < 0.001). The latter showed a significant effect in predicting both RIP correlation and phase synchronization. Both RIP correlation and phase synchronization can be used for an overall fatigue assessment during repetitive work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Silva
- Laboratório de Instrumentação, Engenharia Biomédica e Física da Radiação (LIBPhys-UNL), Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.); (D.F.); (H.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Mariana Dias
- Laboratório de Instrumentação, Engenharia Biomédica e Física da Radiação (LIBPhys-UNL), Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.); (D.F.); (H.G.)
| | - Duarte Folgado
- Laboratório de Instrumentação, Engenharia Biomédica e Física da Radiação (LIBPhys-UNL), Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.); (D.F.); (H.G.)
- Associação Fraunhofer Portugal Research, Rua Alfredo Allen 455/461, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Maria Nunes
- Associação Fraunhofer Portugal Research, Rua Alfredo Allen 455/461, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Praneeth Namburi
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (P.N.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- MIT.nano Immersion Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Brian Anthony
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (P.N.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- Device Realization Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Diogo Carvalho
- Faculty of Medicine, Rīga Stradiņš University, 16 Dzirciema iela, LV-1007 Rīga, Latvia;
| | - Miguel Carvalho
- Campus de Azurém, Minho University, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
| | - Elazer Edelman
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (P.N.); (B.A.); (E.E.)
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Cardiovascular Division, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hugo Gamboa
- Laboratório de Instrumentação, Engenharia Biomédica e Física da Radiação (LIBPhys-UNL), Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.); (D.F.); (H.G.)
- Associação Fraunhofer Portugal Research, Rua Alfredo Allen 455/461, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
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Development and Assessment of a Method to Estimate the Value of a Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction Electromyogram from Submaximal Electromyographic Data. J Appl Biomech 2022; 38:76-83. [PMID: 35213822 DOI: 10.1123/jab.2021-0229] [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: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The electromyographic (EMG) normalization (often to maximum voluntary isometric contraction [MVIC]) is used to control for interparticipant and day-to-day variations. Repeated MVIC exertions may be inadvisable from participants' safety perspective. This study developed a technique to predict the MVIC EMG from submaximal isometric voluntary contraction EMG. On day 1, 10 participants executed moment exertions of 100%, 60%, 40%, and 20% of the maximum (biceps brachii, rectus femoris, neck flexors, and neck extensors) as the EMG data were collected. On day 2, the participants replicated the joint moment values from day 1 (60%, 40%, and 20%) and also performed MVIC exertions. Using the ratios between the MVIC EMGs and submaximal isometric voluntary contraction EMG data values established on day 1, and the day 2 submaximal isometric voluntary contraction EMG data values, the day 2 MVIC EMGs were predicted. The average absolute percentage error between the predicted and actual MVIC EMG values for day 2 were calculated: biceps brachii, 45%; rectus femoris, 27%; right and left neck flexors, 27% and 33%, respectively; and right and left neck extensors, both 29%. There will be a trade-off between the required accuracy of the MVIC EMG and the risk of injury due to exerting actual MVIC. Thus, using the developed predictive technique may depend on the study circumstances.
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