Vibration related symptoms and signs in quarry and foundry workers.

Purpose: The development of vascular and neurosensory findings were studied in two groups of long-term exposed quarry and foundry workers with different vibration exposures, working conditions and work tasks.

Methods: The study included 10 quarry workers (mean age 43 yrs., mean exposure time 16 yrs.

Vibration-induced injuries in workers exposed to transient and high frequency vibrations.

Background: The risk of developing vibration white fingers and neurosensory symptoms increases with the duration and intensity of the exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of developing vibration white fingers (VWF), neurosensory symptoms and musculoskeletal disorders among workers exposed to transient and high frequency vibrations.

Methods: The study included 38 vibration exposed workers from a loader assembly plant in Sweden (30 males and 8 females).

Important work demands for reducing sickness absence among workers with neck or upper back pain: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate what exposure to work demands, physical and psychosocial, is associated with lower levels of sickness absence among workers with neck or upper back pain in different groups, by age, gender, duration of sickness absence and work ability score.

Methods: This study was a prospective study of 4567 workers with neck or upper back pain. Data on neck or upper back pain, work demand and work ability were obtained from the Swedish Work Environment survey over a 3-year period (2009-2013).

Workplace Interventions can Reduce Sickness Absence for Persons With Work-Related Neck and Upper Extremity Disorders: A One-Year Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether workplace interventions are effective in reducing sickness absence in persons with work-related neck and upper extremity disorders and whether disorder improvement after intervention reduces sickness absence.

Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study of workers with work-related neck pain or upper extremity disorders. Data were obtained from the Swedish "Work-related disorders" and "Work environment" surveys.

The Quick Exposure Check (QEC) - Inter-rater reliability in total score and individual items.

The development of musculoskeletal disorders has been linked to various risk factors in the work environment including lifting heavy loads, machine and materials handling, work postures, repetitive work, work with handheld vibrating tools, and work stress. The Quick Exposure Check (QEC) was designed to assess exposure to work-related musculoskeletal risk factors affecting the back, shoulder/arm, wrist/hand, and neck. We investigated the inter-rater reliability of the summary scores and individual items of the QEC by comparing two simultaneous assessments of 51 work tasks, performed by 14 different workers.

Texting with touchscreen and keypad phones - A comparison of thumb kinematics, upper limb muscle activity, exertion, discomfort, and performance.

This study aimed to compare thumb kinematics and upper limb muscle activity, and the influence of hand size, when texting on a keypad smartphone and a touchscreen smartphone. Furthermore, the study compared exertion, discomfort, and performance when texting on the two phones. The thumb kinematics were tracked using a 3D motion analysis system and muscle activity was registered in six upper limb muscles using surface electromyography in 19 participants.

A Lower Level of Physically Demanding Work Is Associated with Excellent Work Ability in Men and Women with Neck Pain in Different Age Groups.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate which physical and psychosocial work demands were associated with excellent work ability in individuals with neck pain, and to investigate age and sex differences in these associations.

Methods: The study sample was obtained from the Statistics Sweden cross-sectional Work Environment survey and consisted of workers who reported neck pain after work ( = 3,212).

Results: The findings showed an association between excellent work ability and self-reported to lifting, twisted work posture, working with hands in shoulder level or higher, and leaning forward without support and combination of exposures containing these work demands.

Texting on mobile phones and musculoskeletal disorders in young adults: A five-year cohort study.

The aim was to examine whether texting on a mobile phone is a risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders in the neck and upper extremities in a population of young adults. In a longitudinal population-based cohort study with Swedish young adults (aged 20-24 years) data were collected via a web-based questionnaire at baseline (n = 7092) and after one and five years. Cross-sectional associations were found between text messaging and reported ongoing symptoms in neck and upper extremities (odds ratios, ORs 1.

Health surveillance under adverse ergonomics conditions--validity of a screening method adapted for the occupational health service.

A new health surveillance protocol for work-related upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders has been validated by comparing the results with a reference protocol. The studied protocol, Health Surveillance in Adverse Ergonomics Conditions (HECO), is a new version of the reference protocol modified for application in the Occupational Health Service (OHS). The HECO protocol contains both a screening part and a diagnosing part.

Ergonomic recommendations when texting on mobile phones.

The aim of this report was to give ergonomic recommendations in order to prevent musculoskeletal symptoms/disorders among young people due to intensive texting on mobile phones. In a study of 56 Swedish young adults (19-25 years, 41 with musculoskeletal symptoms in neck and/or upper extremities and 15 without symptoms) registration of thumb movements with electrogoniometry, muscle activity with electromyography and observation of texting technique were conducted during texting on mobile phones. The results showed differences in physical load between the group with musculoskeletal symptoms and the group without symptoms.

Technique, muscle activity and kinematic differences in young adults texting on mobile phones.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in technique between young adults with and without musculoskeletal symptoms when using a mobile phone for texting and whether there are differences in muscle activity and kinematics between different texting techniques. A total of 56 young adults performed a standardised texting task on a mobile phone. Their texting techniques were registered using an observation protocol.

Thumb postures and physical loads during mobile phone use - a comparison of young adults with and without musculoskeletal symptoms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate thumb postures, thumb movements and muscle activity when using mobile phones for SMS messaging and to determine whether there were differences in these exposures (a) across various mobile phone tasks, (b) between gender and (c) between subjects with and without musculoskeletal symptoms in shoulders and upper extremities. Fifty-six young adults (15 healthy and 41 with musculoskeletal symptoms) performed a series of distinct tasks on a mobile phone. Muscular load in four forearm/hand muscles in the right arm and the right and left trapezius muscles were measured using electromyography (EMG).

The use of information technology among young adults--experience, attitudes and health beliefs.

The aim of this study was to explore attitudes, coherence and health beliefs among young adults, related to their use and experience of information technology (IT). A qualitative approach was used and the data were collected through individual thematised interviews with 25 young IT users, aged 18-24. The interviews were analysed in line with the grounded theory method with a constructivist approach.

Computer mouse use in two different hand positions: exposure, comfort, exertion and productivity.

The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in exposure, comfort, exertion and productivity between a neutral and a pronated hand position when using a computer mouse. Nineteen experienced VDU workers performed a standardised text editing task with each mouse hand position. The wrist positions and movements in the working arm were registered by an electrogoniometer and the muscle activity in the shoulder, two extensors in the forearm and the first dorsal interossei (FDI) was registered by electromyography.