• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.29-37
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• 2007

This study was performed to evaluate the characteristics of transmitted vibration to hand-arm system under different work posture while operating a light-weighted powered hand grinder. For the experiment, 8 different types of wrist posture (natural, unlar-flexion, radual-flexion, flexion, extension, complex posture, and etc.) and 3 types of feed force (20[N], 50[N], 70[N]) were considered. 10 male subjects were employed to polish metal plate with a hand grinder. All of them were normal and healthy with no history and symptom of the work related musculoskeletal disorders in the dominant hand. Vibration acceleration data were recorded with sampling rate, 2048[Hz]. In addition, unweighted overall R.M.S. acceleration at the tool and wrist, and transmissibility between them were used to evaluate factors from the recorded tri-axial vibration acceleration. The results indicate that transmissibility of natural wrist posture was significantly higher than others. In addition, as the feed force becomes larger, the vibration was transmitted in large quantities to hand-arm system through radius.

• 대한인간공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한인간공학회 1995년도 추계학술대회논문집
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• pp.141-155
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• 1995

To understand kinetic characteristics during the process of initation of gait from standing, from the visual cue to toe off of the stance limb, vertical ground reaction forces(GRF) and center of pressure(COP) during gait initation period were evaluate with two force platforms placed side by side in thirty two adults(young 16, elderly 16, each mean age 27.79 and 51.70 years) with no history of 7 neuromusculo-skeletal abnormality. Gaint initation period of swing and stance limbs, percentage of gait initiation period and ratio of the vertical forces to body weight at each peak of the vertical forces of both limbs, and also movement of net COP were measured and described. 2 groups, one of 16 young adults and another of 16 elderly adults, were compared statistically. These data showed the increase of initiation of gait period and the decrease of movement of net COP, nd also can now be used as a part of database when initation of gait in subjects with neuromusculoskeletal abnormalities need to be evaluated.

• 대한인간공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한인간공학회 1996년도 춘계학술대회논문집
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• pp.91-97
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• 1996

This study is to analyze trends of back injuries reported for medical expense compensation in a territorial jurisdiction of Pohang regional office of Ministry of Labor. Back unjuries claimed in the Plhang region accounted for approximately 15% of all industrial accident and 0.96 billion won were spent to compensate for medical expenses in 1994. A majority of back injuries occurred in manufacturing, construction, and transportation, and, 98% of all back injuries during 1992-1994 were strain/sprain, herniated inter-vertebral dise(HIVD), and fracture. To achieve and effective back injury prevention, supplenentary reporting form should be provided to include the information about job description (e.g., weight of an object, task duration and working posture), employee's medical and work history, and working conditions.

• 대한인간공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한인간공학회 1997년도 춘계학술대회논문집
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• pp.100-106
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to measure perceived joint discomfort in the seated and standing position, and to provide a ranking system of joint discomfort measured in this study. Seven male subjects with no history of musculo-skeletal disorders participated in the experiment. Their physical characteristics were: age -$27.6 {\pm}1.8$ years, stature -$171.0 {\pm}5.5cm$, and body weight -$66.4{\pm}9.3kg$. The results showed that perceived joint discomfort was different depending on the human body joints involved in motion and their movement directions, which imply that the human body motions should be classified intoseveral distinct classes that need to be assigned different weights of postural stress. In the seated postion, the hip movement was the most stressful, the back was the second, and the shoulder was the third. Similarly, in standing postures, the hip was given the highest ranking, followed by the back, and the wrist.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.405-411
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• 2013

Objective: Product design process without considering the strength of the user can cause the excessive burden on musculoskeletal system of human body. Since the muscle strength will vary depending on the body posture, the design of product should consider the characteristics of body posture. This study was performed to investigate the effects of forearm postures on the push and pull strength. Background: Overexerted force has been identified to cause musculoskeletal disorders. It is important to know the push and pull strength exerted by human when designing so that exerted force does not exceed the safety limits. Method: Maximum isometric push and pull strength of left, right and both hands were measured according to forearm postures with pronation, neutral and supination. For the study, 66 male and 30 female undergraduate students were participated as subjects. All subjects were normal and healthy with no clinical history. Results: The results showed that the push strength of male and female were 93.3% and 85.4% of pull strength. It showed that the strength of one-hand was 72.1~81.0% of the strength of two-hands, and the strength of left hand was 93.1~95.8% of the strength of right hand. The strength of female was 62% of the one of male. It was found that the strength with pronation $90^{\circ}$ was reduced up to 20% compared to the strength with neutral posture. Conclusion: Push and pull strength of male and female were reduced when forearm was rotated extremely. Application: The results of this study will be used for the prevention of work related musculoskeletal disorders and design of industrial equipment.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.65-70
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• 2005

Evaluation of repetitiveness for upper extremity intensive tasks is essential to determine the level of risk for upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders at the workplace. However, experimental data available to establish the acceptable levels of repetitiveness for various postures and forces is lacking. The present study examined the maximum acceptable frequencies(MAFs; motions/min.) of shoulder, elbow, wrist, and index finger motions at different forces(1kgf and 4kgf for shoulder, elbow, and wrist; 0.25kgf and 1 kgf for index finger) in sitting. Seventeen right-handed males in 20s without having any history musculoskeletal disorders participated in the MAF experiment. The participants determined their MAFs for the upper extremity motions by using the self-adjustment method and their work pulse(increase in heart rate; beats/min.) and rating of perceived exertion(RPE) were measured when working at MAF. The MAFs of elbow, wrist, and index finger motions for each force level were about 2, 3, and 6 times the corresponding MAF(9 at the high force and 24 at the low force) of shoulder motion and the MAFs at the low force increased about 2 times those at the high force. The work pulses of elbow, wrist, and index finger motions for each force level were 70%, 50%, and 30% of the corresponding work pulse(17 at the high force and 12 at the low force) of shoulder motion and the work pulses at the low force were about 70 % of those at the high force. Lastly, the RPEs of the upper extremity regions were about level 3(moderate) or below.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.11-18
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• 2015

Objective: The aim of this study was to understand the effects of phone weight on the typing performance and muscle recruitment in the neck and upper extremity while typing a text message with dominant hand. The iPhone4 and iPhone5 were compared due to their 28-gram differences in weight. Background: Too much use of a cellular phone can lead the musculoskeletal disorders in the upper extremity. Phone makers tend to make their new models bigger, lighter, faster and smarter. Method: Fourteen healthy volunteers without any history of neuromuscular disorders or ongoing pain who used their smartphone more than one year were recruited. A 112g phone (iPhone5) and a 142g phone (iPhone4) were used for typing the lyric of the Korean national anthem with their dominant hand. Typing duration, the typing error, the perceived fatigue, and preference was investigated. Muscle recruitment and the resting gap of neck (middle trapezius and levator scapula), shoulder (infraspinatus and mid deltoid), elbow (biceps brachii and brachioradialis), thumb (extensor and abductor policis brevis) were collected using surface electromyography. Typing error was counted and typing speed was calculated in characters per min. The data were analyzed using a paired t-test and chi-square (${\chi}^2$) analysis for the effects of phone weight on the typing performance parameters and muscle recruitment. Results: Typing text message with iPhone5 took longer but had less muscle recruitment in brachioradialis, and extensor policis brevis muscles. Lighter weight of iPhone5 made biceps brachii to rest less without increasing the mean %EMG. Conclusion/Application: Findings of this study can be valuable information for phone designers to develop more productive device and for smartphone users to prevent the musculoskeletal disorders in the upper extremities.

• 대한인간공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한인간공학회 1993년도 춘계학술대회논문집
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• pp.100-109
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• 1993

To investigate the work-relatedness of carpal tunnel syndrome of some workers at packing department in a rayon manufacturing company, reseracher studied the symptoms and physical sign related to carpal tunnel syndrome of the workers at packing, ysrning, and washing department. The results are as follows: 1. By the results of ergonomic study, the packing work had the considerable probability to develop the carpal tunnel syndrome. 2. The prevalences of symptoms, physical sign and case by definition were higher in woman workers than in man workers. 3. In female workers, the age-agjusted prevalence rates of symptoms were 11.6/1, 000 in workers at washing department, 111.6/1, 000 in workers at packing department, and 70.1/1, 000 in workers at yarning department. In male workers, the age- adjusted rates of symptoms were 92.1/1, 000 in workers at washing department, 210.1/1, 000 in workers at packing and delivery department, and 0.0/1, 000 in workers at yarning department. 4. In female workers, the age-adjusted prevalence rates of physical signs were 119.5/1, 000 in workers at washing department, 104.4/1, 000 in workers at packing department, and 84.5 in workers at yarning department. In male workers, the age-adjusted rates of physical signs were 65.7/1, 000 in workers at washing department, 59.0/1, 000 in workers at packing and delivery department, and 176.9/1, 000 in workers at yarning department. 5. In female workers, the age- adjusted prevelence rates of carpal tunnel cases by case definition were 123.1/1, 000 in workers at washing department, 1117.2/1, 000 in workers at packing department, and 60.2/1, 000 in workers at yarning department. In male workers, the age-adjusted of cases were 355.9/1, 000 in workers at packing and delivery department, and 0.0/1, 000 in workers at other two departments. 6. The most of female workdrs at washing departmentn had the work history at packing department. 7. We concluded the carpal tunnel syndrome of female workers at packing department were work related.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.390-402
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• 2009

This study aimed to examine the general characteristics of individual workers, psychosocial working environment, and ergonomic risk factors which affect the status of musculoskeletal disorders. Self-report was carried out for musculoskeletal symptoms and ergonomic risks in working environment in 856 production workers in 16 small to medium sized manufacturing companies. Musculoskeletal symptoms were examined with a standardized questionnaire, and ergonomic risks were evaluated with a qualitative self-administered instrument for the tasks related to musculoskeletal disorders. Major findings were as follows: 1) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was higher in female, aged, married workers with longer working hours, less leisure/hobby activity, longer household working hours and history of disease or accident. 2) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was significantly higher in workers with dissatisfaction, difficult tasks, and no self-control at work. 3) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was significantly higher in workers involved in tasks with major ergonomic risk factors, and handling heavy equipment. 4) Explanatory power increased the model with the musculoskeletal symptoms as dependent variable and demographic variables, psychosocial working environment and ergonomic risk factors included, and total explanatory power of 18.6% revealed the significant effect. Based on the results, we can conclude that musculoskeletal symptoms in manufacturing workers are associated with individual demographic characteristics, psychosocial working environment and ergonomic risk factors.