Effects of arm support on shoulder and arm muscle activity during sedentary work

The aim of this study was to evaluate different arm supports by comparing the activity of shoulder and arm muscles during various work tasks, with and without the lower arm supported. Twelve female subjects, aged between 23 and 37 years, were asked to perform three types of tasks: typing, simulated...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ergonomics 1997-08, Vol.40 (8), p.834-848
Main Authors: FENG, YI, GROOTEN, WIM, WRETENBERG, PER, ARBORELIUS, ULF P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Applied physiology
Arm
Arm - innervation
Arm Support
Arms
Biological and medical sciences
Biomechanics
Electromyography
EMG
Equipment Design
Ergonomics
Ergonomics. Work place. Occupational physiology
Female
Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology
Humans
Medical sciences
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Motor Activity - physiology
Motor Neurons - physiology
Muscle
Muscle, Skeletal - innervation
Posture
Shoulder
Shoulder - innervation
Space life sciences
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Summary:The aim of this study was to evaluate different arm supports by comparing the activity of shoulder and arm muscles during various work tasks, with and without the lower arm supported. Twelve female subjects, aged between 23 and 37 years, were asked to perform three types of tasks: typing, simulated assembly work (in two different positions), and pipetting. The supports used were: fixed arm support (FIX), horizontal movable arm support (HOR), and spring-loaded arm support (SLA). During the experiments, the electromyograms (EMG) of four muscles were simultaneously recorded: m. deltoideus anterior and lateralis, m. trapezius pars descendens and m. extensor carpi radialis brevis. Normalization was made against maximum isometric contraction. The mean values of the normalized EMG levels showed a reduced EMG level of the shoulder muscles when using arm supports in all the tasks, and for all muscles but the wrist extensor, compared to the EMG levels without arm supports. The horizontal movable support was more effective in reducing the EMG levels of the shoulder muscles than other arm supports, in tasks at table height. Thus, it is possible to reduce muscle activity of the shoulder region by using arm supports. Further research is needed to make biomechanical calculations to compare the EMG level of these muscles using suspension and the effects of inclination of work task.
ISSN:0014-0139
1366-5847
1366-5847
DOI:10.1080/001401397187829