The Effect of Two Alternative Arm Supports on Shoulder and Upper Back Muscle Loading During Pipetting

Details

• Personal Author:
  Alexandre M ; Janowitz I ; Lee DL ; Rempel D ; Rempel P
• Description:
  Objective: Pipetting involves static upper arm positions with the pipette held away from the body for sustained periods of time, putting increased musculoskeletal load on the shoulder and upper back. This study explores the effect of using two alternative arm supports while pipetting on muscle loading in the shoulder/neck region. Participants: 15 experienced pipette users participated in this study. Methods: In a repeated-measures design, participants performed simulated pipetting in a laboratory setting under three arm support conditions: (1) a gel pad on the work surface, (2) a freely-moving counter-balanced forearm support, and (3) no support (control). Surface electromyography (EMG) of the anterior deltoid and upper trapezius muscles were recorded, as well as productivity and subjective usability. Results: Both arm support conditions resulted in significantly lower mean muscle activity of the anterior deltoid and upper trapezius muscles (p<0.001) and significantly higher subjective comfort ratings (p< 0.001) compared to the control condition. The freely moving forearm support resulted in significantly lower peak muscle activity in the anterior deltoid compared to the control condition (p< 0.001). Productivity was not affected by the arm supports. These findings suggest that arm support may be beneficial in reducing muscle loading and improving comfort in the shoulder and upper back during pipetting. Future studies are needed to measure the impact of these arm supports in the workplace. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ergonomics Laboratories Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Arm Injuries Author Keywords: Electromyography EMG Laboratory Equipment MSD Muscle Function Musculoskeletal Disorders Repetitive Work Task Performance Upper Extremities
• ISSN:
  1051-9815
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  195-200
• Volume:
  39
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20053714
• Citation:
  Work 2011 Jun; 39(2):195-200
• Contact Point Address:
  David Rempel, MD, MPH, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 1301 S. 46th Street, UC RFS Building 163, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
• Email:
  david.rempel@ucsf.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2011
• Performing Organization:
  University of California, Berkeley
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Work
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:407316fcd63a40d113d0001e78f765f9a5ec84d5099cbea18e48b12d0c077d528e645c95efe2281520e4bbffd927ee18c23e2c3c92ad84239201fe80d5deb873
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216426/cdc_216426_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 177.61 KB ]