[Evidence of work-related musculo-skeletal disorders of the upper extremities and current methods of risk assessment: can Charlie Chaplin give us any suggestions in "modern times"].
BACKGROUND
in some sequences of the film "Modern Times" Chaplin is clearly involved in activities at high risk for work-related musculo-skeletal disorders of the upper extremities (UEWMSDs), but evidence and perception of any complaint are not evident.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the extent of the biomechanical risk using current risk assessment methods and discuss the possible reasons for lack of complaints.


METHODS
we made an analysis using six of the current methods for ergonomic risk assessment (State of Washington, check list OCRA, HAL by ACGIH, RULA Strain Index, OREGE).


RESULTS
All the methods applied demonstrated high-to-very high levels of biomechanical risk for the upper extremities, with evident psychic effects but without apparent musculo-skeletal disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
The discrepancy between evident psychological disorders ad apparent absence of UEWMSDs are discussed as being due to either: an artistic choice by Charlie Chaplin who focused on the aspects thought to be more immediately and easily comic; the short duration of the physical load exertion; or because of a different perception of muscular work and fatigue that was also typical until the 1970's and 1980's, which also confirmed the principles and practices of our preventive and medical disciplines at that time.
Apostoli
P
P
Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale ed Applicata, Medicina del Lavoro e Igiene Industriale, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Italy. apostoli@med.unibs.it
Sala
Emma
E
D001132:Arm; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D009040:Motion Pictures; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013314:Stress, Mechanical