Wrist movements among females in a repetitive, non-forceful work.
Wrist positions and movements were measured and a physical examination was conducted in 12 female operators in an industrial quality-control work. The handled products are of very low weight, thus, the work can be considered as non-forceful. The work was highly repetitive; 0.54Hz for the right wrist/hand and 0.41Hz for the left. The angular velocities were also high; for the right wrist/hand median value was 30 degrees /s and peak value 108 degrees /s, for the left wrist/hand 24 degrees /s and 88 degrees /s, respectively. The frequency of musculoskeletal disorders was high, especially for the right wrist/hand. Although the work was non-forceful and there were minor extreme positions in the wrists, the results are consistent with reported exposure-response relations in other high-risk jobs. Thus, the repetitiveness and the high velocities are the likely causes for the high prevalence of disorders in the wrists/hands among the operators.
Arvidsson
Inger
I
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital,Lund, SE-221 85, Sweden. inger.arvidsson@ymed.lu.se
Akesson
Ingrid
I
Hansson
Gert Ake
GA
D000328:Adult; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014953:Wrist / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology