• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.379-389
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of wheelchair handle directions on the trunk muscle activity of adult males when climbing ramps. It also evaluated the wheelchair attendant's physical discomfort during tasks. Methods: Healthy males aged over 20 years were chosen and the direction of wheelchair handle grip was randomly selected. The grips included a general grip with ulnar deviation, a medial grip with wrist pronation, and a neutral grip with a neutral wrist. The trunk muscle activity was measured using surface electromyography. Furthermore, the physical discomfort of wheelchair attendants was subjectively evaluated using the Borg CR-10 Scale, which rates the perceived exertion. In addition, the SPSS 18.0 program was used perform repeated measure ANOVA to compare muscle activity and subjective discomfort during the interventions. The contrast test was also conducted with a significance level (α) of 0.05. Results: There was significant difference between the general grip and the medial grip in the rhomboid major muscle and the lumbar erector spinae muscle (p<0.05). In addition, there was significant difference between the general grip and the neutral grip in the rhomboid major muscle and the lumbar erector spinae muscle (p<0.05). Further, there was significant difference between the general grip and the neutral grip in subjective discomfort (p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, adult male trunk muscle activity and subjective discomfort were lowest when using the neutral grip while climbing ramps. Accordingly, we suggest that neutral grips will help improve the function of the musculoskeletal system and reduce the subjective discomfort by putting less strain on the trunk muscles and maximizing efficiency with less force.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.415-424
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effects of various wheelchair handling directions on the upper limb muscle activities of wheelchair attendants while climbing a ramp. Methods: For the study participants, healthy males over 20 years of age were chosen, and the order of the direction of wheelchair handle grip was determined using a randomized method. The handling directions for pushing the wheelchair up a ramp included a general grip with ulnar deviation, a medial grip with wrist pronation, and a neutral grip with a neutral wrist. The muscle activities in the participants' upper limbs were measured using surface electromyography. For statistical data processing, SPSS 18.0 was used to perform repeated measures ANOVA in order to compare the muscle activity among the intervention groups. A contrast test was also conducted among the participants. The significance level (${\alpha}$) was set to 0.05. Results: There was a significant difference between groups using a general grip and a medial grip in the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and flexor carpi radialis muscles (p<0.05). There was also a significant difference between using a general grip and a neutral grip in the biceps brachii and flexor carpi radialis muscles (p<0.05), and there was a significant difference between using a medial grip and a neutral grip in the biceps brachii and extensor carpi radialis brevis muscles (p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the wheelchair assistants' wrist muscle activity was the lowest with a neutral grip while ascending a ramp. Accordingly, this study proposes that wheelchair assistants push wheelchairs up ramps with a neutral grip.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.413-423
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• 2016

Objective:The aims of this study are to understand the effects of task (pushing, pulling, and clockwise and counter clockwise twisting) direction on the maximal output and their grip forces and to explore the relationship between the maximal output and the grip forces. Background: Knowing the normative maximal grip force is not enough to design a good hand tool. The industrial designers should understand the required grip forces in various motions toward a specific direction to make an effective and efficient hand tool. Method: Eighteen healthy volunteers participated in the series of isometric maximal output force tests. A custom-made force measuring equipment collected the output and the grip forces for three seconds. Force measurements along the vertical, coronal and sagittal axes were randomly repeated three times. Results: The pulling was strongest and the pushing was weakest in all directions. The effect of motion on the output forces varied in different directions. The corresponding grip force increased in the order of pushing, pulling, clockwise twisting, and counter clockwise twisting in all directions. The maximal output and their grip forces were highly correlated but the relationship was affected by motion and direction. The regression coefficient was greatest in pulling and smallest in clockwise twisting. Conclusion: The effect of motion on the output forces varied in different directions. The maximal output and their grip forces were correlated but the relationship was affected by motion and direction. Application: Findings of this study can be valuable information for industrial designers to develop more productive hand tools and work stations to help preventing the musculoskeletal disorders at work.