A qualitative study of health information-seeking behavior on the Internet among information technology professionals

BACKGROUND

The motivation to seek health information on the Internet for individuals has been varied. The purpose of this paper was to explore the perspectives and experiences about online health information seeking in information technology (IT) professionals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A qualitative case study research design was employed to examine the behavior of 15 IT professionals from a state organization in the East Coast of the United States of America. Convenience sampling was used to identify the setting, and purposeful sampling was used to select the participants. A survey questionnaire was used as a recruitment tool, and in-depth individual interviews with standardized semi-structured questions were used to collect data.

RESULTS

Findings illustrated that the Internet was the first source of reference for wellness and prevention information to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and to alleviate and prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The themes that emerged from the study were that the IT professionals searched the Internet for information to self-educate about medical conditions, to maintain fitness, communicate with health-care professionals, decide their treatment options, and to make lifestyle modifications such as ergonomic adjustment of their workstation, postural adjustments, and changing negative health behaviors.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study provide practical implications for organizations and health professionals in providing health education to prevent WMSDs as participants sought health information online to take actions and collaborate with their health-care professionals and actively contributed to their medical health decisions. This underscores a valuable opportunity for health-care providers and public health officials to become more proactive by providing their patients with quality health information outside their office through the Internet by referring them to credible website sources.

Forces: A Motion Capture-Based Ergonomic Method for the Today's World

Approximately three of every five workers are affected by musculoskeletal disorders, especially in production environments. In this regard, workstation ergonomic evaluations are especially beneficial for conducting preventive actions. Nevertheless, today's context demonstrates that traditional ergonomic methods should lead to smart ergonomic methods. This document introduces the Forces ergonomic method, designed considering the possibilities of inertial motion capture technology and its applicability to evaluating actual workstations. This method calculates the joint risks for each posture and provides the total risk for the assessed workstation. In this calculation, Forces uses postural measurement and a kinetic estimation of all forces and torques that the joints support during movement. This paper details the method's fundamentals to achieve structural validity, demonstrating that all parts that compose it are logical and well-founded. This method aims to aid prevention technicians in focusing on what matters: making decisions to improve workers' health. Likewise, it aims to answer the current industry needs and reduce musculoskeletal disorders caused by repetitive tasks and lower the social, economic, and productivity losses that such disorders entail.

Guidelines for Working Heights of the Lower-Limb Exoskeleton (CEX) Based on Ergonomic Evaluations

The aim of this study was to evaluate the muscle activities and subjective discomfort according to the heights of tasks and the lower-limb exoskeleton CEX (Chairless EXoskeleton), which is a chair-type passive exoskeleton. Twenty healthy subjects (thirteen males and seven females) participated in this experiment. The independent variables were wearing of the exoskeleton (w/ CEX, w/o CEX), working height (6 levels: 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, and 140 cm), and muscle type (8 levels: upper trapezius (UT), erector spinae (ES), middle deltoid (MD), triceps brachii (TB), biceps brachii (BB), biceps femoris (BF), rectus femoris (RF), and tibialis anterior (TA)). The dependent variables were EMG activity (% MVC) and subjective discomfort rating. When wearing the CEX, the UT, ES, RF, and TA showed lower muscle activities at low working heights (40-80 cm) than not wearing the CEX, whereas those muscles showed higher muscle activities at high working heights (100-140 cm). Use of the CEX had a positive effect on subjective discomfort rating at lower working heights. Generally, lower discomfort was reported at working heights below 100 cm when using the CEX. At working heights of 100-140 cm, the muscle activity when wearing the CEX tended to be greater than when not wearing it. Thus, considering the results of this study, the use of the lower-limb exoskeleton (CEX) at a working height of 40-100 cm might reduce the muscle activity and discomfort of whole body and decrease the risk of related disorders.

Work-Related Risk Assessment According to the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation: A Preliminary Study Using a Wearable Inertial Sensor and Machine Learning

Many activities may elicit a biomechanical overload. Among these, lifting loads can cause work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Aspiring to improve risk prevention, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) established a methodology for assessing lifting actions by means of a quantitative method based on intensity, duration, frequency and other geometrical characteristics of lifting. In this paper, we explored the machine learning (ML) feasibility to classify biomechanical risk according to the revised NIOSH lifting equation. Acceleration and angular velocity signals were collected using a wearable sensor during lifting tasks performed by seven subjects and further segmented to extract time-domain features: root mean square, minimum, maximum and standard deviation. The features were fed to several ML algorithms. Interesting results were obtained in terms of evaluation metrics for a binary risk/no-risk classification; specifically, the tree-based algorithms reached accuracies greater than 90% and Area under the Receiver operating curve characteristics curves greater than 0.9. In conclusion, this study indicates the proposed combination of features and algorithms represents a valuable approach to automatically classify work activities in two NIOSH risk groups. These data confirm the potential of this methodology to assess the biomechanical risk to which subjects are exposed during their work activity.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders amongst flower farm workers in Kenya

Background

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a global public concern for health and social-care systems, as well as individuals. They are the second-most prevalent cause of disability globally.

Objectives

The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of WMSDs amongst flower farm workers. The secondary objective was to determine the association between the socio-demographic characteristics and the presence of WMSDs in the previous 12-month period.

Method

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. A sample of 270 participants was drawn from 897 farm workers. Quantitative data related to musculoskeletal disorders were collected using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Descriptive statistics were undertaken using frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics were analysed using a chi-squared test (X²) based on an alpha level of p < 0.05.

Results

A total of 184 (68.1%) respondents reported musculoskeletal discomfort. Amongst the 184 respondents, 178 were performing general farm work. Most 103 (38.1%) of the WMSDs were reported in the lower back. There was a strong association between job designation as a general worker (p = 0.016), an older age (p = 0.027) and having worked for a long time as a farm worker (p = 0.041) and WMSDs.

Conclusion

Flower farm workers in Kenya were found to be heavily burdened by WMSDs. Furthermore, the job designation, older age, as well as having worked for a long time, predisposes workers to the risk of developing WMSDs.

Clinical implications

The high prevalence of WMSDs necessitates policy reform in the flower farm industry.

Impact of physical activity levels on musculoskeletal symptoms and absenteeism of workers of a metallurgical company

Introduction:

Physical inactivity is the fourth biggest risk factor for global mortality. In Brazilian metallurgical industries, workers present a high incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms as one of the main causes of absenteeism.

Objectives:

To investigate the impact of physical activity levels and leisure-time physical exercise on musculoskeletal symptoms and absenteeism among administrative and production workers of a metallurgical industry.

Methods:

This is a transversal study that included 206 workers. We applied the Modified Baecke Questionnaire, leisure-time physical activity and leisure-time physical exercise domains), as well as the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire regarding symptom occurrence and severity scores (1-4), and compared levels of absenteeism. Our sample was divided into 2 groups: production and office workers.

Results:

We observed a significant difference between the groups regarding symptom severity score 3 (p = 0.03) and absenteeism (p = 0.02); the production group presented higher results. There was a correlation between leisure-time physical exercise and absenteeism (r = -0.57, p = 0.01) and between leisure-time physical activity and absenteeism (r = -0.55, p = 0.01) in the production worker group, whereas in the office worker group, leisure-time physical activity and symptom severity score 4 were correlated (r = 0.63, p = 0.02).

Conclusions:

Production workers presented higher occurrences of symptom severity score 3 and absenteeism; increased levels of leisure-time physical activity and physical exercise reduced absenteeism. Leisure-time physical activity was correlated with severity score 4 in the office worker group.

Influence of Risk Perception on Task and Contextual Performance: A Case of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Nurses

Assessing the risk perception of workers can be very informative in predicting their behavioral outcomes, including task and contextual performance. Yet, research to assess the effect of risk perception on task performance and contextual performance remains scarce. Thus, this study explored the effect of risk perception of work-related musculoskeletal disorders on task and contextual performance in nurses. This study further examined safety behavior as a mediator of these relationships. Using structural equation modeling, the researchers examined these relationships by employing a cross-sectional survey with a quantitative approach. The data was collected via questionnaires from 382 nurses who work in three major hospitals in Accra Metropolis, Ghana. The results showed that nurses' risk perception positively influenced their task and contextual performance, and that safety behavior partially mediated the effects of risk perception on task and contextual performance. This study offers a theoretical framework and empirical evidence for the concept of risk perception and its association with safety behavior, task, and contextual performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the relationships that exist among these variables. Thus, future studies are needed to verify the causality of the relationships.

Blocking CTGF/CCN2 reverses neural fibrosis and sensorimotor declines in a rat model of overuse-induced median mononeuropathy

Encapsulation of median nerves is a hallmark of overuse-induced median mononeuropathy and contributes to functional declines. We tested if an antibody against CTGF/CCN2 (termed FG-3019 or Pamrevlumab) reduces established neural fibrosis and sensorimotor declines in a clinically relevant rodent model of overuse in which median mononeuropathy develops. Young adult female rats performed a high repetition high force (HRHF) lever-pulling task for 18 weeks. Rats were then euthanised at 18 weeks (HRHF untreated), or rested and systemically treated for 6 weeks with either an anti-CCN2 monoclonal antibody (HRHF-Rest/FG-3019) or IgG (HRHF-Rest/IgG), with results compared with nontask control rats. Neuropathology was evident in HRHF-untreated and HRHF-Rest/IgG rats as increased perineural collagen deposition and degraded myelin basic protein (dMBP) in median nerves, and increased substance P in lower cervical dorsal root ganglia (DRG), compared with controls. Both groups showed functional declines, specifically, decreased sensory conduction velocity in median nerves, noxious cold temperature hypersensitivity, and grip strength declines, compared with controls. There were also increases of ATF3-immunopositive nuclei in ventral horn neurons in HRHF-untreated rats, compared with controls (which showed none). FG-3019-treated rats showed no increase above control levels of perineural collagen or dMBP in median nerves, Substance P in lower cervical DRGs, or ATF3-immunopositive nuclei in ventral horns, and similar median nerve conduction velocities and thermal sensitivity, compared with controls. We hypothesize that neural fibrotic processes underpin the sensorimotor declines by compressing or impeding median nerves during movement, and that inhibiting fibrosis using an anti-CCN2 treatment reverses these effects.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries among emergency medical technicians and paramedics: A comprehensive narrative review

The aim of this article was to review the current knowledge relating to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) and non-fatal injuries in emergency medical technicians and paramedics (EMTs-Ps). A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Clinical Key. The annual prevalence of back pain ranged from 30% to 66%, and back injuries and contusions from 4% to 43%. Falls, slips, trips, and overexertion while lifting or carrying patients or instruments ranged from 10% to 56%, with overexertion being the most common injury. Risk factors were predominantly lifting, working in awkward postures, loading patients into the ambulance, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures. Lack of job satisfaction and social support was associated with WRMDs and injuries. EMTs-Ps had the highest rate of worker compensation claim rates compared to other healthcare professionals. Positive ergonomic intervention results included electrically powered stretchers, backboard wheeler, descent control system, and the transfer sling.

The Effects of Upper-Body Exoskeletons on Human Metabolic Cost and Thermal Response during Work Tasks-A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

New wearable assistive devices (exoskeletons) have been developed for assisting people during work activity or rehabilitation. Although exoskeletons have been introduced into different occupational fields in an attempt to reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, the effectiveness of their use in workplaces still needs to be investigated. This systematic review focused on the effects of upper-body exoskeletons (UBEs) on human metabolic cost and thermophysiological response during upper-body work tasks.

METHODS

articles published until 22 September 2020 were selected from Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed for eligibility and the potential risk of bias was assessed.

RESULTS

Nine articles resulted in being eligible for the metabolic aspects, and none for the thermal analysis. All the studies were based on comparisons between conditions with and without exoskeletons and considered a total of 94 participants (mainly males) performing tasks involving the trunk or overhead work, 7 back-support exoskeletons, and 1 upper-limb support exoskeleton. Eight studies found a significant reduction in the mean values of the metabolic or cardiorespiratory parameters considered and one found no differences.

CONCLUSIONS

The reduction found represents a preliminary finding that needs to be confirmed in a wider range of conditions, especially in workplaces, where work tasks show different characteristics and durations compared to those simulated in the laboratory. Future developments should investigate the dependence of metabolic cost on specific UBE design approaches during tasks involving the trunk and the possible statistical correlation between the metabolic cost and the surface ElectroMyoGraphy (sEMG) parameters. Finally, it could be interesting to investigate the effect of exoskeletons on the human thermophysiological response.

The Rise of Shop Floor Ergonomics: A Personal Perspective

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Based on a 45-year career as a practitioner in industrial ergonomics, I offer in this paper a personal memoir on how ergonomics came to the shop floor in North America, involving ordinary workers in an early effort to prevent what was at the time an unknown problem - work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders. The actions included the beginning of a low-tech, practical improvement process that is still effective today. In total, the experience can provide encouragement to everybody to be confident in their ability when trying new endeavors and to remember that small initial steps can eventually lead to major change.

Nordic Assessment of Occupational Disorders among Dental Students and Dentists in Saudi Arabia

Objectives

Ergonomics and the avoidance of occupational or work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are crucial for a future dentist's career, as studies have linked WRMSDs to some serious complications, including early retirement. This study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge and awareness about ergonomics and the prevalence of WRMSDs among dental students and dentists in Makkah province, Saudi Arabia.

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted of 322 dental students and dentists from two universities in Makkah province, Saudi Arabia, using a self-report questionnaire to measure ergonomic awareness and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to measure WRMSDs.

Results

Among the respondents, only 4.82% could correctly explain ergonomics, 14.16% had attended a course or workshop on ergonomics, 55.12% were familiar with preventive techniques for WRMSDs, and 37.95% were familiar with remedies/treatment for WRMSDs. Females were significantly more aware of WRMSDs than males. There was 81.33% who had trouble (pain, aches, or discomfort) in one or more parts of their body during the previous 12 months. The most common sites for WRMSDs were the upper back (48.19%), wrists/hands (44.27%), lower back (43.98%), neck (36.45%), and shoulder (33.43%). In most body parts, WRMSDs were more common among males and participants from a governmental university than among females or those from a private university.

Conclusion

Both dental students and dentists in Saudi Arabia lacked awareness of ergonomics and experienced high levels of WRMSDs. More educational efforts and attempts are needed to boost dental professionals' knowledge about musculoskeletal disorders related to dental profession and built the skills to cope with them.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in nurses working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Nurses are considered the group of healthcare workers with the highest prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMDs). The most common physical demands of nursing that have been found to contribute to WRMDs include lifting, working in awkward postures, stooping, and repetitive actions. Occupational therapists (OT) have a significant role in preventing WRMDs.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore that magnitude of the WRMDs among nurses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Exploring the role of OT in increasing awareness and prevention of WRMDs among nurses.

METHODS

The study was conducted using a cross-sectional questionnaire design. Data was collected using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Nurses at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, KSA, were the target of this study.

RESULTS

Ninety-four nurses participated in this study. Most of them (63.8%) indicated that they experienced discomfort during the last 12 months in their lower back, followed by shoulders (50%), and upper back (48.9%). Twenty-four (25.5%) of the participants who indicated experiencing low back discomfort, also indicated that this discomfort reduced their work activity, and this same number indicated that the discomfort reduced their leisure activity.

CONCLUSION

Nurses are at high risk for WRMDs. Occupational therapists have an important role to play in prevention. Measures should be taken by hospital administrators, the rehabilitation departments, as well as the nurses themselves to manage this global problem. Special measures should be implemented to make sure that they work in ergonomically appropriate environment, and implement proper body mechanics to limit their chances of encountering WRMDs.

Development and Validation of a Wearable Inertial Sensors-Based Automated System for Assessing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workspace

The industrial societies face difficulty applying traditional work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) risk assessment methods in practical applications due to in-situ task dynamics, complex data processing, and the need of ergonomics professionals. This study aims to develop and validate a wearable inertial sensors-based automated system for assessing WMSD risks in the workspace conveniently, in order to enhance workspace safety and improve workers’ health. Both postural ergonomic analysis (RULA/REBA) and two-dimensional static biomechanical analysis were automatized as two toolboxes in the proposed system to provide comprehensive WMSD risk assessment based on the kinematic data acquired from wearable inertial sensors. The effectiveness of the developed system was validated through a follow-up experiment among 20 young subjects when performing representative tasks in the heavy industry. The RULA/REBA scores derived from our system achieved high consistency with experts’ ratings (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.83, classification accuracy >88%), and good agreement was also found between low-back compression force from the developed system and the reference system (mean intersystem coefficient of multiple correlation >0.89 and relative error <9.5%). These findings suggested that the wearable inertial sensors-based automated system could be effectively used for WMSD risk assessment of workers when performing tasks in the workspace.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among endoscopic transsphenoidal surgeons: a systematic review of prevalence and ergonomic interventions

Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery is a surgical technique introduced in the last 20 years for the treatment of skull base pathologies and, in particular, pituitary tumours. Although the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is usually significantly higher in endoscopists and minimally invasive surgeons compared to other surgical and medical specialties, reviews on the prevalence of disorders among neurosurgeons dedicated to endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery are not available. This article performs a systematic review to identify the work-related musculoskeletal disorders among transsphenoidal neurosurgeons, their prevalence and the ergonomic interventions proposed to reduce risk factors and prevent disorders. The results show that the ergonomics of transsphenoidal neurosurgeons is an under-investigated topic. Indeed, specific prevalence data are not available. In addition, only a few papers suggest interventions and guidelines, but without objective assessment of the outcomes to confirm the ergonomic benefit. Based on these gaps in the literature, a future research agenda is proposed.

Evaluation of scapular dyskinesis and ergonomic risk level in office workers

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between ergonomic risk level and scapular dyskinesis in office workers. Methods. This cross-sectional study included office workers aged 20-65 years. A lateral scapular slide test (LSST) was used to evaluate scapular dyskinesis, and the quick exposure check (QEC) method was used to analyze the ergonomic risk level. Results. In all, 37 (45.7%) participants were men and 44 (54.3%) participants were women. Of the participants with scapular dyskinesis in any of the three LSST positions, 10.3% had low, 20.6% had medium, 30.9% had high and 37.9% had very high ergonomic risk level (p = 0.001). A low, positive linear correlation was observed between ergonomic risk level and LSST-1, LSST-2 and LSST-3 values. Conclusion. These results indicate that patients with scapular dyskinesis have a high ergonomic risk level. We believe that our work will serve as a foundation for intervention studies assessing ergonomic risk management.

Standardized photometric assessment method: A novel approach for the analysis of dental ergonomic posture

Background:

Identification and documentation of the proper and improper dental ergonomic postures have gained its importance in the recent years due to the increased prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among dentists and dental students who do not practice proper ergonomic procedure.

Aim:

The aim of the present study is to analysis ergonomic posture among dental students while performing supragingival scaling (SGS) procedure, using the standardized photometric assessment method (SPAM).

Materials and Methods:

A total number of 90 students from the third year (III year) to final year (IV year) and internship (Intern) (30 each) were included in the study. All the 90 students were asked to perform SGS procedure and were photographed and analyzed using the current technique. Eight dental ergonomic postures were analyzed in this study and grouped according to the classification system developed for scoring dental ergonomic postures by Garbin et al., in 2011. Analysis of variance test with Bonferroni correction was used to statistically analyze the collected data.

Results:

The mean index value for III year, IV year and Intern were 2.00, 2.03, and 2.13, respectively, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.709).

Conclusions:

Analysis of the dental students using the current method showed that most of them come under inadequate and regular category which puts them in a high risk for developing WMSDs. The SPAM to analyze the dental ergonomic posture was simple and effective and should be further explored in the future studies for its pros and cons.

Blocking CTGF/CCN2 reduces established skeletal muscle fibrosis in a rat model of overuse injury

Tissue fibrosis is a hallmark of overuse musculoskeletal injuries and contributes to functional declines. We tested whether inhibition of CCN2 (cellular communication network factor 2, previously known as connective tissue growth factor, CTGF) using a specific antibody (termed FG‐3019 or pamrevlumab) reduces established overuse‐induced muscle fibrosis in a clinically relevant rodent model of upper extremity overuse injury. Young adult rats performed a high repetition high force (HRHF) reaching and lever‐pulling task for 18 weeks, after first being shaped for 6 weeks to learn this operant task. Rats were then euthanized (HRHF‐Untreated), or rested and treated for 6 weeks with FG‐3019 (HRHF‐Rest/FG‐3019) or a human IgG as a vehicle control (HRHF‐Rest/IgG). HRHF‐Untreated and HRHF‐Rest/IgG rats had higher muscle levels of several fibrosis‐related proteins (TGFβ1, CCN2, collagen types I and III, and FGF2), and higher muscle numbers of alpha SMA and pERK immunopositive cells, compared to control rats. Each of these fibrogenic changes was restored to control levels by the blocking of CCN2 signaling in HRHF‐Rest/FG‐3019 rats, as were HRHF task‐induced increases in serum CCN2 and pro‐collagen I intact N‐terminal protein. Levels of cleaved CCN3, an antifibrotic protein, were lowered in HRHF‐Untreated and HRHF‐Rest/IgG rats, compared to control rats, yet elevated back to control levels in HRHF‐Rest/FG‐3019 rats. Significant grip strength declines observed in HRHF‐Untreated and HRHF‐Rest/IgG rats, were restored to control levels in HRHF‐Rest/FG‐3019 rats. These results are highly encouraging for use of FG‐3019 for therapeutic treatment of persistent skeletal muscle fibrosis, such as those induced with chronic overuse.

The impact of the applied technology on health and productivity in manual "picker-to-part" systems

BACKGROUND

Manual "picker-to-part" order picking takes place in a labour-intensive and time-consuming working environment where humans are the central actors and co-determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the process. Throughout Europe, work-related musculoskeletal disorders affect millions of workers, especially in the logistics sector, and cost employers billions of euros.

OBJECTIVE

This paper studies how order pickers relate the use of technology as well as their relationship with the logistics company to their well-being, health and productivity.

METHODS

To obtain data, a survey consisting of questions regarding work characteristics, health problems and the logistics company's relationship with employees was conducted in Poland, Slovenia and Croatia.

RESULTS

Workers who carry most items manually experience more health problems than cart and forklift users. The most common complaint is lower back pain - only 6% of order pickers (n = 221) never experienced it. The use of barcode or RFID scanner/terminal/smart phone correlates with more health problems than the use of other technologies. Participation in the selection of transport means or in training on health preservation can reduce the perceived health problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Workers' perception of the impact of the applied technology on health and productivity can differ from the impact that is calculated or measured. Through their relationship with employees, logistics companies can influence employees' perception of their health problems.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among clinical laboratory workers

Aims and Objectives:

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among clinical laboratory workers.

Materials and Methods:

This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study included the clinical laboratory departments of six governmental tertiary and secondary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The selected instrument was a self-administered adapted standardized questionnaire. The sample comprised 306 laboratory workers, and the selected sampling technique was a non-random convenient method.

Results:

The overall prevalence of WMSDs in any body region was 82% in the last 12 months; it was mainly linked to lower back pain (61%). In the logistic regression, age <30 years, working in specific laboratories and working in hematology/flow-cytometry laboratory divisions were all found to be significant risk factors (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Clinical laboratory workers are at a high risk for WMSDs; it is essential that we take preventative action to address this.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among haemodialysis nurses - a comparison between Danish and Swedish samples

Objective. The repetitiveness of priming and dismantling disposables for haemodialysis treatments might be an important contributor to musculoskeletal complaints. The objective was therefore to compare the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among haemodialysis nurses in Denmark and Sweden. Methods. For this cross-sectional study, nurses were recruited from haemodialysis centres in Denmark (n = 194) and Sweden (n = 351). Prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints was evaluated using the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. Results. The percentage of nurses reporting musculoskeletal complaints from at least one part of their body was 90.2% in the Danish sample and 88.9% in the Swedish sample. The anatomical locations with the most complaints were the neck, lower back and hands. Except for the proportion of complaints concerning the neck, there were no differences between the countries. Absenteeism from work was mostly due to complaints regarding the hands. Conclusion. The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints seems to be higher among haemodialysis nurses than among nurses in general. Because complaints concerning the hands are common, and also related to absenteeism from work, it is of particular importance that manufacturers of dialysis equipment and nurse managers acknowledge these occupational health and safety hazards in their efforts to create a good work environment.

Effects of Ergomotor Intervention on Improving Occupational Health in Workers with Work-Related Neck-Shoulder Pain

(1) Background: Work-related neck and shoulder pain (WRNSP) are common problems, and past occupational research has focused on ergonomic interventions such as adjusting workstations while physiotherapists have traditionally focused on teaching exercises to improve posture and movement control in the clinical setting. The current study aimed to integrate these two approaches and evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of such interventions on occupational exposure outcomes. (2) Methods: A total of 101 patients diagnosed with WRNSP were randomized into 2 groups: Control (CO) group (n = 50) and ergomotor (EM) group (n = 51). Participants in the control group had 12 weeks of usual care (conventional physiotherapy) while participants in the EM group received an integrated program with tailor-made motor control training and ergonomic advice for 12 weeks. (3) Results: Both groups achieved significant improvement in pain and functional outcomes at post-intervention. The EM group also reported significantly improved scores in terms of perceived exertion in the job-related physical demands (JRPD) and the short form workstyle questionnaires compared to the control group. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that ergomotor intervention may be more effective in producing favorable occupational health outcomes compared to conventional physiotherapy.

Biomechanical and Metabolic Effectiveness of an Industrial Exoskeleton for Overhead Work

Overhead work activities can lead to shoulder pain and serious musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), such as rotator cuff injury and degeneration. Recently developed exoskeletons show promising results in supporting workers in such activities. In this study, a novel exoskeleton was investigated for two different overhead tasks with twelve participants. To investigate the effects of the device, electromyographic (EMG) signals of different shoulder and adjacent muscles as well as kinematic and metabolic parameters were analyzed with and without the exoskeleton. The mean EMG amplitude of all evaluated muscles was significantly reduced when the exoskeleton was used for the overhead tasks. This was accompanied by a reduction in both heart rate and oxygen rate. The kinematic analysis revealed small changes in the joint positions during the tasks. This study demonstrated the biomechanical and metabolic benefits of an exoskeleton designed to support overhead work activities. The results suggest improved physiological conditions and an unloading effect on the shoulder joint and muscles which are promising indicators that the exoskeleton may be a good solution to reduce shoulder WMSD among workers who carry out overhead tasks on a regular basis.

Manual therapy for work-related wrist pain in a manual physical therapist

Introduction: The wrist is a common site for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) among physical therapists (PTs), often due to manual therapy. There are limited data on management of wrist injury in PTs. The purpose of this case is to describe the management of a PT with wrist pain.Case Description: The patient was a 28-year-old female with a 6-month history of right ulnar-sided wrist pain, aggravated by performing thoracic/lumbar posterior to anterior (PA) glides. The patient reported 7/10 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale and 6.5/10 on the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS). Symptoms were reproduced at the lunotriquetral joint.Outcomes: The patient was seen for two visits. Following anterior to posterior non-thrust mobilization at the triquetrum on lunate, the patient improved inability to perform thoracic/lumbar PA glides. The patient was educated on manual therapy modifications, isometrics, and self-mobilization. At 2-month follow-up, the patient reported 0/10 pain, scored 10/10 on the PSFS, and +7 on the Global Rating of Change.Discussion: This case demonstrates the successful use of education, manual therapy, and exercise in the management of a PT with a wrist-related WMSD. Future research should focus on the prevention/treatment of wrist-related WMSDs in PTs who perform manual therapy.

Are vocalists prone to temporomandibular disorders?

Background

As vocalists demand high physical strains of the masticatory system, singing is frequently mentioned as a risk factor for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).

Objectives

This study investigated whether vocalists report a higher prevalence of two types of TMDs (viz., TMD pain and temporomandibular joint sounds) compared with instrumentalists who do not load their masticatory system while performing. In addition, we examined which risk indicators are associated with the presence of these TMDs among musicians.

Methods

A total of 1470 musicians from 50 different music ensembles completed a questionnaire. Of these musicians, 306 were vocalists (mean age ± SD 37.5 ± 17.7 years; 63.9% female) and 209 musicians enrolled the control group (mean age ± SD 42.7 ± 18.0 years; 40.7% female).

Results

The prevalence of self‐reported TMD pain among vocalists was 21.9%, as compared to 12.0% in the control group. 20.0% of the vocalists reported TMJ sounds versus 15.1% of the controls. The multiple regression models indicated that being a vocalist was not a risk indicator for the presence of self‐reported TMD pain nor for self‐reported TMJ sounds. Instead, it appeared that the report of TMD pain among musicians was positively associated with female gender, next to the level of physical workload, depicted as frequency of oral behaviours and the hours of daily practice. Musicians’ report of TMJ sounds was associated with oral behaviours.

Conclusion

This study shows that singing is not associated with the reports of TMD pain and TMJ sounds, after adjusting for potentially confounding variables included in the models.