Ergonomics in gynecologists' daily practice: A nationwide survey in The Netherlands.

Background: Gynecologists are exposed to multiple risk factors for developing physical complaints. To enhance the workplace ergonomics in gynecological practice, a more detailed insight about job content and associated demands is necessary to subsequently decrease the exposure to risk factors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of physical complaints and the presence of ergonomic constraints in Dutch gynecological practice.

Validity and inter-observer reliability of subjective hand-arm vibration assessments.

Exposure to mechanical vibrations at work (e.g., due to handling powered tools) is a potential occupational risk as it may cause upper extremity complaints.

Evaluation of three ergonomic measures on productivity, physical work demands, and workload in gypsum bricklayers.

Background: This study evaluated the effects of a combination of three ergonomic measures designed to reduce the risk of low back complaints among gypsum bricklayers. The measures focused on optimizing working height and reducing carrying distances.

Methods: A within-subjects (N = 10) controlled field study was used to compare the effects of working with the ergonomic measures with those of working with conventional working methods at the worksite during the course of a full working day.

Objective and continuous measurement of peripheral motor indicators of pain in hospitalized infants: a feasibility study.

Measurement of pain in pre-verbal infants is complex. Until now, pain behavior has mainly been assessed intermittently using observational tools. Therefore, we determined the feasibility of long-term, objective and continuous measurement of peripheral motor parameters through body-fixed sensors to discriminate between pain and no pain in hospitalized pre-verbal infants.

Effects of a thermal-insulating mouse pad on temperature of forearm and hand during computer tasks.

This laboratory experiment studied the effects of a thermal-insulating mouse pad on arm temperature and comfort during computer work. Fourteen subjects performed two 20-min computer tasks (a mouse task and a combined task alternating keyboard and mouse use), under three conditions, namely with: 1) a thermal-insulating pad; 2) a placebo pad; 3) no pad (desktop). The temperatures of the forearm, wrist, hand and fingers were measured with four thermocouples.

Automated estimation of initial and terminal contact timing using accelerometers; development and validation in transtibial amputees and controls.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate an automated accelerometry-based system for estimating initial contact (IC) and terminal contact (TC) timing information from walking patterns of healthy control subjects and transtibial amputees that can be used in daily life with minimal interference of researchers. Subjects were instrumented with two uniaxial accelerometers just below the knee while synchronized ground reaction force (GRF) recordings were used as reference measurements. An automated multiphase algorithm was developed to estimate the time of IC and TC in the acceleration signals of five healthy subjects and two transtibial amputees walking at different walking speeds.