title: Evaluation of knee joint forces during kneeling work with different kneepads.
abstract: The main purpose of this study is to determine knee joint forces resulting from kneeling work with and without kneepads to quantify how different kneepads redistribute force. Eleven healthy males simulated a tile setting task to different locations during six kneepad states (five different kneepad types and without kneepad). Peak and average forces on the anatomical landmarks of both knees were obtained by custom force sensors. The results revealed that kneepad design can significantly modify the forces on the knee joint through redistribution. The Professional Gel design was preferred among the five tested kneepads which was confirmed with both force measurements and participants' responses. The extreme reaching locations induced significantly higher joint forces on left knee or right knee depending on task. The conclusion of this study is that a properly selected kneepad for specific tasks and a more neutral working posture can modify the force distribution on the knees and likely decrease the risk of knee disorders from kneeling work.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Sree
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jampala
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bloswick
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Electronic address: a.merryweather@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merryweather
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D060389:Construction Industry; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007719:Knee Joint; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture; D011312:Pressure / Q000009:adverse effects; D011482:Protective Devices; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014160:Transducers, Pressure; D016474:Weight-Bearing; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Biomechanics; Knee disorder; Kneeling; Kneepad