• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.184-196
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• 2012

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the degree of discomfort and to identify factors related with discomfort in patients wearing thigh-length compression stockings after orthopedic surgery. Methods: The participants were 105 patients wearing thigh-length compression stockings after orthopedic surgery at two hospitals in B city. Data were collected by the scale of discomfort in wearing compression stockings from July 5 to October 20, 2011. Results: Mean score of discomfort on wearing compression stockings was significantly higher at post-op. day 3 than day 1 (t=-2.30, p=.004). Discomfort scores for 'itching skin' and 'tightened leg' items were higher than others. There was significant difference in discomfort at post-op. day 1 according to surgical regions. The total score of discomfort at post-op. day 3 was positively related with the body mass index (r=.20, p=.041). Conclusion: Wearing thigh-length compression stockings to prevent deep vein thrombosis may cause physical and psychological discomfort for orthopedic surgical patients. To reduce discomfort in wearing compression stockings, nurses need to intervene discomfort and problems related to the stockings post-operatively.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.16 no.6 s.111
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• pp.658-664
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• 2006

Shock vibrations are usually experienced in vehicles excited by impulsive input, such as bumps. The frequency weighting functions of the current standards in ISO 2631 and BS 6841 are to help objectively predict the amount of discomfort of stationary vibration. This experimental study was designed to develop frequency weighting shape for shock vibration having various fundamental frequencies from 0.5 to 16Hz. The specks were produced from the response of single. degree-of-freedom model to a half-sine force input. Fifteen subjects used the magnitude estimation method to judge the discomfort of vertical shock vibration generated on the rigid seat mounted on the simulator. The magnitudes of the shocks, expressed in terms of both peak-to-peak value and un-weighted vibration dose values (VDVs) , were correlated with magnitude estimates of the discomfort. The frequency weighting shapes from the correlation were developed and investigated having nonlinearity due to the magnitude of the shock.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.352-360
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• 2013

Purpose: In this study an examination was done of the effects of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines on body temperature, shivering, thermal discomfort, and time to achieve normothermia in patients undergoing total knee replacement arthroplasty (TKRA) under spinal anesthesia. Methods: This study was an experimental study with a randomized controlled trial design. Participants (n=60) were patients who underwent TKRA between December 2011 and March 2012. Experimental group (n=30) received active and passive warming measures as described in the ASPAN's guidelines. Control group (n=30) received traditional care. Body temperature, shivering, thermal discomfort, time to achieve normothermia were measured in both groups at 30 minute intervals. Results: Experimental group had slightly higher body temperature compared to control group (p=.002). Thermal discomfort was higher in the experimental group before surgery but higher in the control group after surgery (p=.034). It decreased after surgery (p=.041) in both groups. Time to achieve normothermia was shorter in the experimental group (p=.010). Conclusion: ASPAN's guidelines provide guidance on measuring patient body temperature at regular intervals and on individualized and differentiated hypothermia management which can be very useful in nursing care, particularly in protecting patient safety and improving quality of nursing.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.163-173
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• 2018

Purpose: To identify factors influencing psychosocial adjustment in patients with surgical removal of benign breast tumor. Methods: With a survey design, data were collected using the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self Report (PAIS-SR), Body Image Scale, Physical Discomfort Scale, and Family Support Scale with patients who had had surgical removal of a benign breast tumor from September to November 2017. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The mean scores for physical discomfort, body image, family support, and psychosocial adjustment were $1.57{\pm}0.51$, $0.37{\pm}0.64$, $3.62{\pm}0.67$, and $4.00{\pm}0.45$, respectively. Family support, body image, physical discomfort, number of surgical removal of benign breast tumor (twice), and cancer insurance status (yes) were verified as factors influencing psychosocial adjustment. These factors accounted for 57.4% of psychosocial adjustment. Conclusion: In this study, family support, body image, and physical discomfort were identified as significant predictors of psychosocial adjustment. Therefore, this study can be used as fundamental data to develop nursing intervention strategies in order to increase psychosocial adjustment in patients with surgical removal of a benign breast tumor.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.50-57
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• 2007

Shocks are excited by impulsive forces and cause discomfort in vehicles. Current standards define means of evaluating shocks and predicting their discomfort, but the methods are based on research with a restricted range of shocks. This experimental study was designed to investigate the discomfort of seated subjects exposed to a wide range of vertical shocks. Shocks were produced from the responses of one degree-of-freedom models, with 16 natural frequencies (from 0.5 to 16 Hz) and four damping ratios (0.05 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4), to a hanning-windowed half-sine force inputs. Each type of shock was presented at five vibration dose values in the range $0.35\;ms^{-1.75}$ to $2.89\;ms^{-1.75}$. Fifteen subjects used magnitude estimation method to judge the discomfort of all shocks. The exponent in Stevens' power law, indicating the rate of growth in discomfort with shock magnitude, decreased with increasing fundamental frequency of the shocks. At all magnitudes, the equivalent comfort contours showed greatest sensitivity to shocks having fundamental frequencies in the range 4 to 12.5 Hz. At low magnitudes the variations in discomfort with the shock fundamental frequency were similar to the frequency weighting $W_b$ in BS 6841, but low frequency high magnitudes shocks produced greater discomfort than predicted by this weighting. At some frequencies, for the same unweighted vibration dose value, there were small but significant differences in discomfort caused by shocks having different damping ratios. The rate of increase in discomfort with increasing shock magnitude depends on the fundamental frequency of the shock. In consequence, the frequency-dependence of discomfort produced by vertical shocks depends on shock magnitude. For shocks of low and moderate discomfort, the current methods seem reasonable, but the response to higher magnitude shocks needs further investigation.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.215-227
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate Korea's Honam express train's first- and second-class seat discomfort by using pressure measurement, subjective discomfort rating, and physical compatibility. Background: Over the years, the demand for an express train service is continually increasing. A comfortable ride is important to achieving passenger satisfaction. A train seat plays a significant role in fulfilling passenger seating comfort. With this in view, a field survey and pressure measurements were performed on the selected train seat. Method: The pressure ratio at the body-seat interface (thigh and buttock regions) was measured by the pressure mat system. The interface pressure ratio was calculated and compared. The subjective discomfort rating scale was used to evaluate the subjects' overall feeling. The dimensions of train seats were analysed according to the anthropometric and demographic characteristics of the population data from Size Korea. Results: The results highlighted that the interface pressure ratio was greater while participants sat on the second-class seat than the first-class seat in the left- and right-side thigh regions. Also the pressure ratio was greater for the participants in the 1st~25th percentile height groups (149.8~160.8cm). The subjects rated higher discomfort for the second-class seat than the first-class seat. The physical compatibility results showed that the second-class seat's breadth was inadequate for the 95th and 99th percentile male. Conclusion: Overall, interface pressure measurement, subjective discomfort score and physical compatibility results showed that the second-class seat was more uncomfortable for the passengers than the first-class seat. Application: The adopted methodologies could be used to measure the seating comfort of the train seats.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.57-73
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• 2003

Although body pressure distribution is sensitive to movements and is relatively simple to measure even in small space, there are few researches involving applications to driver's posture and its change. The main objective in this study is the application of body pressure distribution measurements for the prediction of the driver's posture and its change. This requires quantitative analyses of the dynamic body pressure distribution, which is the change of body pressure distribution with time. The experiment involved 16 male subjects who drove for 45 minutes in a seating buck. Measurement time, stature group, and lumbar support prominence were selected as independent variables, with subjective ratings of driver's discomfort, body posture data of hip, torso. knee angle, and body pressure data variables as dependent variables. The body pressure change variables and subjective ratings were found to increase as the measurement time increased and body pressure ratio variables reflected the torso angle. From the results and analysis of the body posture data and subjective rating results, it was predicted that the seats and the design of the lumbar supports used in the experiment was not fit for tall subjects, which could also be confirmed through the body pressure distribution data.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.145-151
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• 2006

The objective of this study is to investigate the perceived discomfort for postures combined with shoulder flexion/extension and elbow flexion, and external load. 12 healthy male undergraduate and graduate students participated in this experiment. Experimental variables were the shoulder flexion/extension angle(-20°, 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°), the elbow flexion angle (0°, 45°, 120°), and the external load(0, 1.5Kg, 3Kg) as independent variables and a whole body perceived discomfort using Borg's CR10 as a dependent variable. The subjects maintained the given posture for 60 seconds and then rated the perceived discomfort. The ANOVA results showed that all main factors and two-way interactions were statistically significant at α=0.05. As a result of regression analysis to examine the effect of external load on the perceived discomfort, the perceived discomfort linearly increased as the level of external load increased. Then, the effect of external load on the perceived discomfort was quantitatively classified into three levels based on the result of regression analysis.

• Proceedings of the ESK Conference
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• 1998.04a
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• pp.36-39
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• 1998

In this study, the postural stresses in automobile assembly tasks were evaluated through an experiment. We had 19 subjects who simulated 42 different working postures occuring in the automobile assembly tasks for1 min and rated their whole body discomforts subjectively. We sued a free modulus magnitude estimation technique, commonly used as a psycophysical rating technique, and fully trained the subjects for the technique. The postures were selected through the analysis of the characteristics of te automobile assembly tasks and the expected difficulties. The subjective discomfort rating data were normalized by min-max standardization method. The consistency of the rating data was guaranteed by the analysis of spear man rank-order. The postures were ranked on their ratings and the relationships between the whole body discomfort ratings, and joint discomfort ratings were analysed. It is expected taht a system for evaluating postural stresses, which was specific to automobile assembly tasks, can be developed based on the relationship and can also be expended to a general purpose system with a minor modification.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.447-455
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• 1998

It is important to identify and evaluate poor working postures properly to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this study is to develope a new upper body micropostural classification scheme for analyzing postural stress in industry. Most of the existing postural classification schemes were based either on the literature, or on simple biomechanical principles, or on a subjective ranking system. The scheme suggested in this study was based on perceived joint discomfort measured through experiment, in which nineteen subjects participated and the magnitude estimation method was employed to obtain subjects' joint discomfort. Also, the criteria for evaluating postural stress of working postures were presented for practitioners of health and safety to be able to redesign working methods and workplaces, which was based on maximum holding time by Miedema and other people. It is expected that the scheme developed in this study could be used as a valuable tool when evaluating working postures.