Understanding contributing factors to exoskeleton use-intention in construction: a decision tree approach using results from an online survey.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major health concern in the construction industry. Occupational exoskeletons (EXOs) are a promising ergonomic intervention to help reduce WMSD risk. Their adoption, however, has been low in construction.

Impact of Booster Breaks and Computer Prompts on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Among Desk-Based Workers: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: The 15-minute work break provides an opportunity to promote health, yet few studies have examined this part of the workday. We studied physical activity and sedentary behavior among office workers and compared the results of the Booster Break program with those of a second intervention and a control group to determine whether the Booster Break program improved physical and behavioral health outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a 3-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial at 4 worksites in Texas from 2010 through 2013 to compare a group-based, structured Booster Break program to an individual-based computer-prompt intervention and a usual-break control group; we analyzed physiologic, behavioral, and employee measures such as work social support, quality of life, and perceived stress.

Developing a pooled job physical exposure data set from multiple independent studies: an example of a consortium study of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Background: Six research groups independently conducted prospective studies of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) incidence in 54 US workplaces in 10 US States. Physical exposure variables were collected by all research groups at the individual worker level. Data from these research groups were pooled to increase the exposure spectrum and statistical power.

Exposure-response relationships for the ACGIH threshold limit value for hand-activity level: results from a pooled data study of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Objectives: This paper aimed to quantify exposure-response relationships between the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) for hand-activity level (HAL) and incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

Methods: Manufacturing and service workers previously studied by six research institutions had their data combined and re-analyzed. CTS cases were defined by symptoms and abnormal nerve conduction.

Effect of font size and glare on computer tasks in young and older adults.

Purpose: At a fixed viewing distance (VD), reading speed increases with print size. It is not known if this holds for computer tasks when postures are not constrained. Reflective glare on a monitor may reduce productivity.

Touch displays: the effects of palm rejection technology on productivity, comfort, biomechanics and positioning.

Direct touch displays can improve the human-computer experience and productivity; however, the higher hand locations may increase shoulder fatigue. Palm rejection (PR) technology may reduce shoulder loads by allowing the palms to rest on the display and increase productivity by registering the touched content and fingertips through the palms rather than shoulders. The effects of PR were evaluated by having participants perform touch tasks while posture and reaction force on the display were measured.

Pooling job physical exposure data from multiple independent studies in a consortium study of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Unlabelled: Pooling data from different epidemiological studies of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is necessary to improve statistical power and to more precisely quantify exposure-response relationships for MSDs. The pooling process is difficult and time-consuming, and small methodological differences could lead to different exposure-response relationships. A sub-committee of a six-study research consortium studying carpal tunnel syndrome: (i) visited each study site, (ii) documented methods used to collect physical exposure data and (iii) determined compatibility of exposure variables across studies.

Booster Breaks in the workplace: participants' perspectives on health-promoting work breaks.

Increasing sedentary work has been associated with greater cardiovascular and metabolic risk, as well as premature mortality. Interrupting the sedentary workday with health-promoting work breaks can counter these negative health effects. To examine the potential sustainability of work-break programs, we assessed the acceptance of these breaks among participants in a Booster Break program.

Ergonomic evaluation of ten single-channel pipettes.

Unlabelled: Repetitive pipetting is a task that is associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the hand and arm.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usability and ergonomic performance of commercially available pipettes as determined by user ratings and objective measurements.

Participants: Participants were laboratory technicians and scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with experience performing pipetting tasks.

The Booster Break program: description and feasibility test of a worksite physical activity daily practice.

Objective: Work breaks are underutilized opportunities to promote health. The Booster Break program is a co-worker led physical activity group session devoted exclusively to standard 15-minute work breaks. The purpose of this study was to report the fidelity, attendance, feasibility, and sustainability of the Booster Break program and to explore its potential impact.

Evaluation of two posture survey instruments for assessing computing postures among college students.

Objective: To determine agreement between two posture assessment survey instruments and which, if any, were correlated with experiencing upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms.

Methods: Thirty undergraduate participants had three postural assessment surveys completed, one each for three separate 7-day data collection periods during a semester. Two observation assessment tools were used, a modified Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (mRULA) for computer users for the right and left limbs and the University of California Computer Use Checklist.

Follow-up of neck and shoulder pain among sewing machine operators: The Los Angeles garment study.

Background: The aim of the present study is to explore factors affecting or modifying self-reported neck/shoulder pain in sewing machine operators.

Methods: We investigated self-report neck/shoulder pain in 247 workers who participated in a 4-month prospective intervention study for musculoskeletal disorders. All participants were immigrants.

Self-reported pain and physical signs for musculoskeletal disorders in the upper body region among Los Angeles garment workers.

Reports of pain and physical exam findings for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are two common outcome measures independently used to assess work-related MSDs in the scientific literature. How these measures correlate with each other, however, is largely unknown. We recruited 520 sewing machine operators to describe the correlation between subjective self-reported pain and physical findings of MSDs in three upper body regions including the neck/shoulder, elbow/forearm, and hand/wrist.

A randomized controlled trial evaluating an alternative mouse or forearm support on change in median and ulnar nerve motor latency at the wrist.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an alternative mouse and/or a forearm support board on nerve function at the wrist among engineers.

Methods: This randomized controlled intervention trial followed 206 engineers for 1 year. Distal motor latency (DML) at baseline and follow-up was conducted for the median and ulnar nerves at the right wrist.

Accessibility of radiology equipment for patients with mobility disabilities.

Objective: The purpose was to evaluate accessibility of typical radiology platforms by participants with mobility disabilities.

Background: These patients have difficulty using radiology equipment and have an increased risk of falling.

Methods: This field study evaluated three common types of radiology platforms - X ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, and fluoroscopy - by 20 patients/participants with mobility impairments who used walking aids.

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A NEW DEVICE FOR OVERHEAD DRILLING.

Drilling overhead into concrete is a strenuous task that is associated with shoulder, arm, neck and back musculoskeletal disorders due to the forceful and awkward aspects of the work. This common task is done to hang pipes, ducts and trays and is performed by construction workers in the electrical, pipe fitting, sheet metal, ironwork and carpentry trades. In this project, alternative devices for overhead drilling were developed in order to reduce the high shoulder loads.

Effect of wrist posture on carpal tunnel pressure while typing.

Long weekly hours of keyboard use may lead to or aggravate carpal tunnel syndrome. The effects of typing on fluid pressure in the carpal tunnel, a possible mediator of carpal tunnel syndrome, are unknown. Twenty healthy subjects participated in a laboratory study to investigate the effects of typing at different wrist postures on carpal tunnel pressure of the right hand.

A three-dimensional anthropometric solid model of the hand based on landmark measurements.

Hand anthropometry data are largely based on measurements of the hand in an outstretched hand posture and are, therefore, difficult to apply to tool gripping hand postures. The purpose of this project was to develop a representative, scalable hand model to be used with 3-D software drawing packages to aid in the ergonomic design of hand tools. Landmarks (66) on the palmar surface of the right hand of 100 subjects were digitised in four functional hand postures and, from these, 3-D surface models of a mean, 25th and 75th% hand were developed.

A randomized controlled trial of chair interventions on back and hip pain among sewing machine operators: the los angeles garment study.

Objective: Determine whether an adjustable chair with a curved or a flat seat pan improved monthly back and hip pain scores in sewing machine operators.

Methods: This 4-month intervention study randomized 293 sewing machine operators with back and hip pain. The participants in the control group received a placebo intervention, and participants in the intervention groups received the placebo intervention and one of the two intervention chairs.

MMP-1, IL-1beta, and COX-2 mRNA expression is modulated by static load in rabbit flexor tendons.

Tendon cells respond to their mechanical environment by synthesizing and degrading the surrounding matrix. This study examined how expression of genes associated with tendon degeneration is affected by static loads. Forty flexor tendons from 10 New Zealand White rabbits were harvested and secured in a tissue loading system.

Evaluation of gene expression through qRT-PCR in cyclically loaded tendons: an in vivo model.

An in vivo rabbit animal model for the tendinopathy, epicondylitis, was used to examine the effects of repetitive load on the expression of various genes associated with matrix remodeling. Following 80 h of cumulative load, tissue from the distal and proximal regions of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon was collected. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to asses mRNA levels of collagenase-1 (MMP-1), stromelysin (MMP-3), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), type III collagen (COL-III) and fibronectin (FBRN).

Cyclic loading inhibits expression of MMP-3 but not MMP-1 in an in vitro rabbit flexor tendon model.

Background: Gene expression analysis is useful for assessing cellular behavior and may improve our understanding of the initial cellular response to mechanical load leading to tendon degeneration. This study assessed gene expression of MMP-1 and MMP-3, genes associated with matrix degradation, in tendons exposed to cyclic loads within physiologic range.

Methods: Six flexor tendons from each of ten New Zealand White rabbits were harvested and randomly assigned to one of the following six groups: load deprived for 18h; cyclically loaded for 18h to a peak stress of 2MPa; 3MPa; 4MPa; 5MPa; or snap frozen in liquid nitrogen.

A multi-method study evaluating computing-related risk factors among college students.

Purpose: To characterize undergraduate computer use using different data collection methods, emphasizing computing-related postures, use patterns and upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms.

Subjects And Methods: In Spring, 2004, undergraduate students from a single dormitory at a private university agreed to complete a College Computing & Health Survey. For three separate data collection periods each lasting a week, we observed postures during computer once per period and continuously measured computer input device usage.

Effect of repetition rate on the formation of microtears in tendon in an in vivo cyclical loading model.

We reported previously the formation of microtears in an in vivo loaded Flexor Digitorum Profundus (FDP) rabbit tendon with a repetition rate of 60 repetitions per minute and a peak force of 15% of maximum peak tetanic force for 80 cumulative hours. Tear area as a percent of tendon area, tear density (tears/mm(2)), and mean tear size (microm(2)) were higher in tendons from the loaded limb compared to the unloaded control limb. The purpose of the present study was to compare those results to results obtained with a repetition rate of 10 while maintaining the same peak force and force-time integral (n = 8).

A randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of new task chairs on shoulder and neck pain among sewing machine operators: the Los Angeles garment study.

Study Design: This is a 4-month randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of chair design on neck/shoulder pain among sewing machine operators.

Objective: Determine whether a chair with a curved seat pan leads to improved changes in monthly neck/shoulder pain scores compared with a control intervention.

Summary Of Background Data: Sewing machine operators experience a high prevalence and severity of neck and shoulder pain in comparison to other working populations probably due to the sustained shoulder abduction and neck and upper back flexion required of the task.