Knee pain in nursing home workers after implementation of a safe resident handling program.

Purpose: Approximately 25-30% of nursing personnel experience knee pain (KP). We sought to identify physical and psychosocial work exposures, and personal factors related to prevalent, incident, and persistent KP 5-8 years after safe resident handing program (SRHP) implementation in nursing homes.

Methods: Health and exposure information was obtained from worker surveys 5-6 years ("F5") and 7-8 years ("F6") post-SRHP implementation.

Systematic review of quantitative imaging biomarkers for neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders.

Background: This study systematically summarizes quantitative imaging biomarker research in non-traumatic neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). There were two research questions: 1) Are there quantitative imaging biomarkers associated with the presence of neck and shoulder MSDs?, 2) Are there quantitative imaging biomarkers associated with the severity of neck and shoulder MSDs?

Methods: PubMed and SCOPUS were used for the literature search. One hundred and twenty-five studies met primary inclusion criteria.

Predictors of low back pain in nursing home workers after implementation of a safe resident handling programme.

Objectives: Healthcare workers have high rates of low back pain (LBP) related to handling patients. A large chain of nursing homes experienced reduced biomechanical load, compensation claims and costs following implementation of a safe resident handling programme (SRHP). The aim of this study was to examine whether LBP similarly declined and whether it was associated with relevant self-reported occupational exposures or personal health factors.

Systematic review of biochemical biomarkers for neck and upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders.

Objective: This study systematically summarizes biochemical biomarker research in non-traumatic musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Two research questions guided the review: (i) Are there biochemical markers associated with neck and upper-extremity MSD? and (ii) Are there biochemical markers associated with the severity of neck and upper-extremity MSD?

Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed and SCOPUS, and 87 studies met primary inclusion criteria. Following a quality screen, data were extracted from 44 articles of sufficient quality.

Mobile input device type, texting style and screen size influence upper extremity and trapezius muscle activity, and cervical posture while texting.

This study aimed to determine the effects of input device type, texting style, and screen size on upper extremity and trapezius muscle activity and cervical posture during a short texting task in college students. Users of a physical keypad produced greater thumb, finger flexor, and wrist extensor muscle activity than when texting with a touch screen device of similar dimensions. Texting on either device produced greater wrist extensor muscle activity when texting with 1 hand/thumb compared with both hands/thumbs.

A validity study of self-reported daily texting frequency, cell phone characteristics, and texting styles among young adults.

Background: Texting is associated with adverse health effects including musculoskeletal disorders, sleep disturbances, and traffic crashes. Many studies have relied on self-reported texting frequency, yet the validity of self-reports is unknown. Our objective was to provide some of the first data on the validity of self-reported texting frequency, cell phone characteristics including input device (e.

Serum and MRI biomarkers in mobile device texting: a pilot study.

Objective: We aimed to determine if serum biochemical and MRI biomarkers differed between high volume (> or =230 texts sent/day; n = 5) and low volume (< or =25 texts sent/day; n = 5) texters. A secondary aim was to ascertain what correlations between the biochemical and imaging biomarkers could tell us about the pathophysiology of early onset tendinopathies.

Background: Text messaging has become widespread, particularly among college-aged young adults.

Sonographically guided percutaneous needle release of the carpal tunnel for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: preliminary report.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel treatment procedure, sonographically guided percutaneous needle release of the carpal tunnel, for individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Methods: Seventeen patients (89% female; mean age, 62 years; SD, 13.6 years) with a clinical diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome who had undergone a sonographically guided percutaneous needle release of the carpal tunnel at least 6 months before follow-up evaluation were retrospectively reviewed.

Physical and psychosocial ergonomic risk factors for low back pain in automobile manufacturing workers.

Objectives: To examine the association between ergonomic physical and psychosocial exposures and the risk of prevalent and incident low back pain (LBP) in a longitudinal cohort of automobile manufacturing workers.

Methods: Ergonomic exposure intensity and LBP presence were determined through questionnaires at baseline (n=1181) and to workers in the same job 1 year later (n=505). Models were constructed using log-binomial regression with special attention to interactions between ergonomic exposures.

Cluster analysis of symptoms among patients with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders.

Introduction: Some musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity are not readily classified. The study objective was to determine if there were symptom patterns in self-identified repetitive strain injury (RSI) patients.

Methods: Members (n = 700) of the Dutch RSI Patients Association filled out a detailed symptom questionnaire.

Skin temperature in the dorsal hand of office workers and severity of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the suitability of using mean dorsal (hand) skin temperature (MDT) before and after a short typing task as an indicator of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder (UEMSD) severity. In addition, MDT reproducibility in controls was assessed for a pre-typing and three post-typing time periods over three trials.

Methods: Asymptomatic office workers (n = 10) and office workers with distal UEMSD symptoms (n = 35) typed for 9 min at three ambient temperatures (18, 22, and 26 degrees C).

Specific and non-specific upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder syndromes in automobile manufacturing workers.

Objective: A longitudinal cohort of automobile manufacturing workers (n = 1,214) was examined for: (1) prevalence and persistence of specific upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs) such as lateral epicondylitis and de Quervain's disease, and non-specific disorders (NSDs) defined in symptomatic individuals without any specific disorder, and (2) disorder prognoses based on symptom characteristics and other factors.

Methods: Eight specific disorders were identified through case definitions based on upper extremity physical examinations and symptom surveys administered on three occasions over 6 years.

Results: At baseline, 41% of the cohort reported upper extremity symptoms; 18% (n = 214) of these had NSDs.

Subjective ratings of upper extremity exposures: inter-method agreement with direct measurement of exposures.

This study examined the agreement of subjective ratings of upper extremity exposures with corresponding direct measurements obtained simultaneously from workers. Psychophysical ratings of exposure, based on the Borg CR-10 scale, were obtained for the period of time in which direct measurements were acquired using electrogoniometers (wrist), electroinclinometers (shoulder) and electromyography (grip force). Subjects were selected from workers at two automobile manufacturing plants.

JCQ scale reliability and responsiveness to changes in manufacturing process.

Background: The job content questionnaire (JCQ) was administered to automobile manufacturing workers in two interviews, 5 years apart. Between the two interviews, the company introduced substantial changes in production technology in some production areas. The aims were: (1) to describe the impact of these changes on self-reported psychosocial exposures, and (2) to examine test-retest reliability of the JCQ scales, taking into account changes in job assignment and, for a subset of workers, physical ergonomic exposures as assessed through field observations.

Recall of prior musculoskeletal pain.

Objectives: Patients, as well as healthy people, often fail to remember prior symptoms, illnesses, or treatments. The authors investigated how well people in a workplace recalled their prior musculoskeletal pain and which factors influenced recall accuracy.

Methods: In this prospective study (1992-1998), among a cohort of automobile manufacturing workers (N=464), musculoskeletal pain reported at baseline was compared with recalled pain at follow-up.

Medium- and long-term reproducibility of self-reported exposure to physical ergonomics factors at work.

Introduction: The literature is sparse on reproducibility of self-reported exposure to physical ergonomics risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Aims of this study were to evaluate, in a cohort of workers interviewed up to three times: 1-year test-retest reliability; and 5- and 6-year recall of physical exposures. We also examined whether reproducibility was influenced by the presence of UE MSD or by technological changes introduced between the last two surveys.

Work routinization and implications for ergonomic exposure assessment.

Jobs in many modern settings, including manufacturing, service, agriculture and construction, are variable in their content and timing. This prompts the need for exposure assessment methods that do not assume regular work cycles. A scheme is presented for classifying levels of routinization to inform development of an appropriate exposure assessment strategy for a given occupational setting.

Pressure pain thresholds and musculoskeletal morbidity in automobile manufacturing workers.

Objectives: Reduced pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) have been reported in occupational groups with symptoms of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs). The purpose of this study was to determine whether automobile manufacturing workers (n=460) with signs and symptoms of UEMSDs had reduced PPTs (greater sensitivity to pain through pressure applied to the skin) when compared with unaffected members of the cohort, which served as the reference group. The association of PPTs with symptom severity and localization of PE findings was investigated, as was the hypothesis that reduced thresholds would be found on the affected side in those with unilateral physical examination (PE) findings.

Infrared thermography for examination of skin temperature in the dorsal hand of office workers.

Reduced blood flow may contribute to the pathophysiology of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSD), such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. The study objective was to characterize potential differences in cutaneous temperature, among three groups of office workers assessed by dynamic thermography following a 9-min typing challenge: those with UEMSD, with ( n=6) or without ( n=10) cold hands exacerbated by keyboard use, and control subjects ( n=12). Temperature images of the metacarpal region of the dorsal hand were obtained 1 min before typing, and during three 2-min sample periods [0-2 min (early), 3-5 min (middle), and 8-10 min (late)] after typing.