Feeling sleepy? stop driving-awareness of fall asleep crashes.

Study Objectives: To examine whether drivers are aware of sleepiness and associated symptoms, and how subjective reports predict driving impairment and physiological drowsiness.

Methods: Sixteen shift workers (19-65 years; 9 women) drove an instrumented vehicle for 2 hours on a closed-loop track after a night of sleep and a night of work. Subjective sleepiness/symptoms were rated every 15 minutes.

Chronotypes in the US: Influence of longitude position in a time zone.

The availability of electrical light has altered modern light exposure, affecting the synchronization process ('entrainment') of the circadian clock to the natural light-dark cycle. The discrepancy between the natural light-dark cycle and self-selected light exposure has raised the question whether humans entrain to sun time (as most organisms do) vs. social time.

Muscle co-contractions are greater in older adults during walking at self-selected speeds over uneven compared to even surfaces.

Falls in the aging population are a major public health concern. Outdoor falls in community-dwelling older adults are often triggered by uneven pedestrian walkways. Our understanding of the motor control adaptations to walk over an uneven surface, and the effects of aging on these adaptations is sparse.

Why does the adverse effect of inappropriate MRI for LBP vary by geographic location? An exploratory analysis.

Background: Early magnetic resonance imaging (eMRI) for nonspecific low back pain (LBP) not adherent to clinical guidelines is linked with prolonged work disability. Although the prevalence of eMRI for occupational LBP varies substantially among states, it is unknown whether the risk of prolonged disability associated with eMRI varies according to individual and area-level characteristics. The aim was to explore whether the known risk of increased length of disability (LOD) associated with eMRI scanning not adherent to guidelines for occupational LBP varies according to patient and area-level characteristics, and the potential reasons for any observed variations.

Knee muscle co-contractions are greater in old compared to young adults during walking and stair use.

Background: Muscle co-contraction is an accepted clinical measure to quantify the effects of aging on neuromuscular control and movement efficiency. However, evidence of increased muscle co-contraction in old compared to young adults remains inconclusive.

Research Question: Are there differences in lower-limb agonist/antagonist muscle co-contractions in young and old adults, and males and females, during walking and stair use?

Methods: In a retrospective study, we analyzed data from 20 healthy young and 19 healthy old adults during walking, stair ascent, and stair descent at self-selected speeds, including marker trajectories, ground reaction force, and electromyography activity.

Beyond symptom resolution: insurance case manager's perspective on predicting recovery after motor vehicle crash.

Purpose: Insurance company case managers can play a critical role in the rehabilitation process of people with musculoskeletal disorders sustained following minor motor vehicle crash injury due to their interaction with multiple stakeholders and their role in approving various services. This study aimed to identify factors that case managers perceive as predictive of recovery in people with musculoskeletal disorders after minor motor vehicle crash injury.

Materials And Methods: To explore the perspectives of cases managers in Australia and the United States, semi-structured interviews explored factors that case managers thought provided an early indication of likely recovery outcomes in people with musculoskeletal disorders after minor motor vehicle crash injury.

Effect of walking surface, late-cueing, physiological characteristics of aging, and gait parameters on turn style preference in healthy, older adults.

Turning while walking is a crucial component of locomotion, often performed on irregular surfaces with little planning time. Turns can be difficult for some older adults due to physiological age-related changes. Two different turning strategies have been identified in the literature.

Late-cueing of gait tasks on an uneven brick surface impacts coordination and center of mass control in older adults.

Background: Changing directions while walking (turning gait), often with little planning time, is essential to navigating irregular surfaces in the built-environment. It is unclear how older adults reorient their bodies under these constraints and whether adaptations are related to declines in physiological characteristics.

Research Question: The aims of this study were to (1) investigate whether surface irregularity, late-cueing, and age negatively affect coordination, kinematics, and center of mass (COM) movement during 90° turning gait and (2) determine if adaptations correlate with declines in strength, balance, and reaction-time.

Modelling driver acceptance of driver support systems.

Driver support systems are intended to enhance driver performance and improve transportation safety. Even though these systems afford safety advantages, they challenge the traditional role of drivers in operating vehicles. Driver acceptance, therefore, is essential for the adoption of new in-vehicle technologies into the transportation system.

Lag times in the work disability process: Differences across diagnoses in the length of disability following work-related injury.

Background: The amount of time between key points in the work disability and workers' compensation process, referred to as lag times, has been shown to relate to work disability outcomes but little research has examined how this finding may differ based on the diagnosis associated with the cause of work disability.

Objective: To examine whether relationships between lag times in the work disability process and disability duration vary by diagnosis in a sample of workers' compensation claims.

Methods: Using workers' compensation claims, Analysis of Covariance was used to estimate differences in disability duration across three lag times (days from the date of injury to: reporting the injury, seeking medical care, and starting lost work time paid by the workers' compensation insurer) and injury diagnosis groups (Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD) and fractures).

Correction to: Functional Capacity Evaluation in Different Societal Contexts: Results of a Multicountry Study.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the Table 2. The data under column head "Left handgrip strength (n = 336)" was erroneously omitted during the production process. The corrected Table 2 is given below.

Early Return to Work Has Benefits for Relief of Back Pain and Functional Recovery After Controlling for Multiple Confounds.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect on health outcomes of an early or immediate return-to-work (RTW) after acute low back pain (LBP).

Methods: A longitudinal cohort of workers (N = 557) consulting for uncomplicated LBP were assessed on demographic, pain, occupational, and psychosocial variables. Pain and function were assessed at 3-month postpain onset.

Aging may negatively impact movement smoothness during stair negotiation.

Stairs represent a barrier to safe locomotion for some older adults, potentially leading to the adoption of a cautious gait strategy that may lack fluidity. This strategy may be characterized as unsmooth; however, stair negotiation smoothness has yet to be quantified. The aims of this study were to assess age- and task-related differences in head and body center of mass (COM) acceleration patterns and smoothness during stair negotiation and to determine if smoothness was associated with the timed "Up and Go" (TUG) test of functional movement.

Functional Capacity Evaluation in Different Societal Contexts: Results of a Multicountry Study.

Purpose To examine factors associated with Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) results in patients with painful musculoskeletal conditions, with focus on social factors across multiple countries. Methods International cross-sectional study was performed within care as usual. Simple and multiple multilevel linear regression analyses which considered measurement's dependency within clinicians and country were conducted: FCE characteristics and biopsychosocial variables from patients and clinicians as independent variables; and FCE results (floor-to-waist lift, six-minute walk, and handgrip strength) as dependent variables.

A systematic review of the safety climate intervention literature: Past trends and future directions.

Safety climate represents the meaningfulness of safety and how safety is valued in an organization. The contributions of safety climate to organizational safety have been well documented. There is a dearth of empirical research, however, on specific safety climate interventions and their effectiveness.

Association between social factors and performance during Functional Capacity Evaluations: a systematic review.

Determine the association of different social factors with Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) performance in adults. A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO electronic databases. Studies were eligible if they studied social factor's association with the performance of adults undergoing FCE.

Machine learning algorithms based on signals from a single wearable inertial sensor can detect surface- and age-related differences in walking.

The aim of this study was to investigate if a machine learning algorithm utilizing triaxial accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer data from an inertial motion unit (IMU) could detect surface- and age-related differences in walking. Seventeen older (71.5 ± 4.

Gait adaptations of older adults on an uneven brick surface can be predicted by age-related physiological changes in strength.

Background: Outdoor falls in community-dwelling older adults are often triggered by uneven pedestrian walkways. It remains unclear how older adults adapt to uneven surfaces typically encountered in the outdoor built-environment and whether these adaptations are associated to age-related physiological changes.

Research Question: The aims of this study were to (1) compare gait parameters over uneven and flat brick walkways, (2) evaluate the differences between older and young adults for these two surfaces, and (3) assess if physiological characteristics could predict adaptations in older adults.

Expectations for Return to Work After Workplace Injuries: The Relationship Between Estimated Time to Return to Work and Estimate Accuracy.

Purpose Worker's expectations for return to working have been found to relate to return-to-work (RTW) outcomes; however, it is unclear if this varies depending upon the expected time to RTW. To advance the understanding of the relationship between expectations and RTW, we set out to answer the following research questions: Are shorter estimated times to RTW more accurate than estimates that are longer of duration? In addition, we sought to determine if there was a point in time that coincides with RTW estimates no longer being reliably related to time to RTW. Methods We utilized workers' compensation data from a large, United States-based insurance company.

The effect of subject measurement error on joint kinematics in the conventional gait model: Insights from the open-source pyCGM tool using high performance computing methods.

The conventional gait model (CGM) is a widely used biomechanical model which has been validated over many years. The CGM relies on retro-reflective markers placed along anatomical landmarks, a static calibration pose, and subject measurements as inputs for joint angle calculations. While past literature has shown the possible errors caused by improper marker placement, studies on the effects of inaccurate subject measurements are lacking.

Examining the Likelihood of Experiencing Productivity Loss and Receiving Social Security Disability Income Following the Onset of Chronic Disease.

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the likelihood of reporting productivity loss and receiving social security disability (SSD) income following a chronic health condition diagnosis using a longitudinal panel design.

Methods: Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the likelihood of reporting productivity loss or receiving SSD following the diagnosis of arthritis, cancer, psychological problems, or heart conditions. Respondents reporting a new diagnosis of a condition were matched with five similarly aged respondents not reporting a diagnosis.

Continuous ambulatory hand force monitoring during manual materials handling using instrumented force shoes and an inertial motion capture suit.

Hand forces (HFs) are commonly measured during biomechanical assessment of manual materials handling; however, it is often a challenge to directly measure HFs in field studies. Therefore, in a previous study we proposed a HF estimation method based on ground reaction forces (GRFs) and body segment accelerations and tested it with laboratory equipment: GFRs were measured with force plates (FPs) and segment accelerations were measured using optical motion capture (OMC). In the current study, we evaluated the HF estimation method based on an ambulatory measurement system, consisting of inertial motion capture (IMC) and instrumented force shoes (FSs).

Prediction of drowsiness events in night shift workers during morning driving.

The morning commute home is an especially vulnerable time for workers engaged in night shift work due to the heightened risk of experiencing drowsy driving. One strategy to manage this risk is to monitor the driver's state in real time using an in vehicle monitoring system and to alert drivers when they are becoming sleepy. The primary objective of this study is to build and evaluate predictive models for drowsiness events occurring in morning drives using a variety of physiological and performance data gathered under a real driving scenario.

Updating the "Risk Index": A systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational injuries and work schedule characteristics.

Fatigue is a major risk factor for occupational 'accidents' and injuries, and involves dimensions of physical, mental, and muscular fatigue. These dimensions are largely influenced by temporal aspects of work schedules. The "Risk Index" combines four fatigue-related components of work schedules to estimate occupational 'accident' and injury risk based on empirical trends: shift type (morning, afternoon/evening, night), length and consecutive number, and on-shift rest breaks.

Outcomes of safe patient handling and mobilization programs: A meta-analysis.

Background: Variability in patient care settings and the range of patient handling tasks present challenges in developing and evaluating safe patient handling and mobilization (SPHM) programs.

Objective: We performed a systematic meta-analysis of SPHM program evaluations.

Methods: Systematic literature review identified published SPHM program evaluations.