Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive Work
An accurate rating of hand activity and force is essential in risk assessment and for the effective prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. However, it is unclear whether the subjective ratings of workers and observers correlate to corresponding objective technical measures of exposure...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Bioengineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/7/867 |
| _version_ | 1797590259428491264 |
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| author | Gunilla Dahlgren Per Liv Fredrik Öhberg Lisbeth Slunga Järvholm Mikael Forsman Börje Rehn |
| author_facet | Gunilla Dahlgren Per Liv Fredrik Öhberg Lisbeth Slunga Järvholm Mikael Forsman Börje Rehn |
| author_sort | Gunilla Dahlgren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An accurate rating of hand activity and force is essential in risk assessment and for the effective prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. However, it is unclear whether the subjective ratings of workers and observers correlate to corresponding objective technical measures of exposure. Fifty-nine workers were video recorded while performing a hand-intensive work task at their workplace. Self-ratings of hand activity level (HAL) and force (Borg CR10) using the Hand Activity Threshold Limit Value<sup>®</sup> were assessed. Four ergonomist observers, in two pairs, also rated the hand activity and force level for each worker from video recordings. Wrist angular velocity was measured using inertial movement units. Muscle activity in the forearm muscles flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) was measured with electromyography root mean square values (RMS) and normalized to maximal voluntary electrical activation (MVE). Kendall’s tau-b correlations were statistically significant between self-rated hand activity and wrist angular velocity at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles (0.26, 0.31, and 0.23) and for the ratings of observers (0.32, 0.41, and 0.34). Significant correlations for force measures were found only for observer-ratings in five of eight measures (FCR 50th percentile 0.29, time > 10%MVE 0.43, time > 30%MVE 0.44, time < 5% −0.47) and ECR (time > 30%MVE 0.26). The higher magnitude of correlation for observer-ratings suggests that they may be preferred to the self-ratings of workers. When possible, objective technical measures of wrist angular velocity and muscle activity should be preferred to subjective ratings when assessing risks of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:18:01Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-5354 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:18:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bioengineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-d47e4b05bde0408eab1fcf6c7ad5a0b02023-11-18T18:22:26ZengMDPI AGBioengineering2306-53542023-07-0110786710.3390/bioengineering10070867Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive WorkGunilla Dahlgren0Per Liv1Fredrik Öhberg2Lisbeth Slunga Järvholm3Mikael Forsman4Börje Rehn5Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, SwedenSection of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, SwedenRadiation Physics, Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, SwedenSection of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, SwedenIMM Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, SwedenAn accurate rating of hand activity and force is essential in risk assessment and for the effective prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. However, it is unclear whether the subjective ratings of workers and observers correlate to corresponding objective technical measures of exposure. Fifty-nine workers were video recorded while performing a hand-intensive work task at their workplace. Self-ratings of hand activity level (HAL) and force (Borg CR10) using the Hand Activity Threshold Limit Value<sup>®</sup> were assessed. Four ergonomist observers, in two pairs, also rated the hand activity and force level for each worker from video recordings. Wrist angular velocity was measured using inertial movement units. Muscle activity in the forearm muscles flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) was measured with electromyography root mean square values (RMS) and normalized to maximal voluntary electrical activation (MVE). Kendall’s tau-b correlations were statistically significant between self-rated hand activity and wrist angular velocity at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles (0.26, 0.31, and 0.23) and for the ratings of observers (0.32, 0.41, and 0.34). Significant correlations for force measures were found only for observer-ratings in five of eight measures (FCR 50th percentile 0.29, time > 10%MVE 0.43, time > 30%MVE 0.44, time < 5% −0.47) and ECR (time > 30%MVE 0.26). The higher magnitude of correlation for observer-ratings suggests that they may be preferred to the self-ratings of workers. When possible, objective technical measures of wrist angular velocity and muscle activity should be preferred to subjective ratings when assessing risks of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/7/867ergonomicshumansmusculoskeletal disordersupper extremitywristhand |
| spellingShingle | Gunilla Dahlgren Per Liv Fredrik Öhberg Lisbeth Slunga Järvholm Mikael Forsman Börje Rehn Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive Work Bioengineering ergonomics humans musculoskeletal disorders upper extremity wrist hand |
| title | Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive Work |
| title_full | Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive Work |
| title_fullStr | Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive Work |
| title_full_unstemmed | Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive Work |
| title_short | Correlations between Ratings and Technical Measurements in Hand-Intensive Work |
| title_sort | correlations between ratings and technical measurements in hand intensive work |
| topic | ergonomics humans musculoskeletal disorders upper extremity wrist hand |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/7/867 |
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