• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.164-170
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• 2005

Purpose: The present study attempted to find subjective musculoskeletal symptoms of operating room nurses (OR nurses) and then to use them as basic data for prevention and management of musculoskeletal symptoms of OR nurses. Method: This study was an exploratory research, and data were collected from OR nurses working in 8 polyclinics in Korea from July 26 to August 19, 2004, using a self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire contains items concerned with subjective musculoskeletal symptoms include ones with the presence of symptoms and with the degree of discomfort, in the joints such as neck, shoulder, arm/elbow, hand/wrist/finger and waist. For data collection, the aim of the study was explained to the operating room managers to obtain their help, and these questionnaires were sent to hospitals, and were retrieved by post. 271(90.3%) questionnaires were returned among those sent to 300 nurses. 249 questionnaires excluding 22 insufficient ones such as no response were used for data analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 12.0. Subjective musculoskeletal symptoms were analyzed in the number and percentage. Result: 187(75.1%) nurses said they 'had' subjective musculoskeletal symptoms and 62 (24.9%) said they had 'nothing'. 130(52.2%), 125 (50.2%), 113 (45.4%), 86(34.5%), and 42 (16.9%) nurses had subjective musculoskeletal symptoms in waist, shoulder, hand/wrist/finger, neck, and arm/elbow, respectively. 51(27.3%) and 136 (72.7%) nurses complained of the pain in one site, and in two or more sites, respectively. In particular, 51% and 47.4% nurses said that they were 'discomforted' due to the pain in waist and in shoulder, respectively. Conclusion: Subjective musculoskeletal symptoms which OR nurses complained of were significant. This may cause difficulty in nursing tasks in the operating room. So various arrangements have to be made for OR nurse with subjective musculoskeletal symptoms at an early stage.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.190-204
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was conducted to obtain the fundamental data on prevention and management of musculoskeletal symptoms, and to assess the prevalence, risk factors and job characteristics of musculoskeletal symptoms in hotel employees. Methods: The work sampling analysis was carried out by OWAS, and the prevalence was surveyed in term of NIOSH diagnostic criteria and work related risk factors on 263 hotel employees in Busan, Korea, using structured self-administered questionnaire from Jan. 20 to Feb. 26, 2010. The collected data were analysed by the SPSS 18.0. Results: 1) The prevailing rate of musculoskeletal symptoms by NIOSH diagnostic criteria was 43.80% for total subjects and 27.91% for shoulders, 12.79% for neck, and 11.24% for back/waist, respectively. 2) Factors affecting the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms were examined and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. As a result, women, having a burden of musculoskeletal work, increased work time in case of a higher risk of the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms (P<0.1). 3) The body parts and the department with the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms showed a significant difference (P<0.05) compared with symptoms on shoulders, arms/elbows, and ankles/feet. Conclusion: The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms by NIOSH diagnostic criteria in hotel employees was relatively high showing 43.80% for total subjects and higher in departments of laundry, reservations, cooking, food&beverage, dishwashing, and room cleaning than others.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.437-445
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• 2015

Objective: The aims of this study are to investigate the trends of intellectual property in order to identify the ergonomic approaches on musculoskeletal disorders, harmful factors of musculoskeletal disorders, and to find the potential applicability of motion capture technology. Background: Ergonomic posture assessment tools often showed interrater variance, though the usage is easy and practical in industrial fields. Moreover new technologies such as motion capture showed the potential applicability in posture assessment. So ergonomists and practitioners became interested in the intellectual properties on musculoskeletal disorder and motion capture technology. Method: Intellectual properties were collected with the combination of keywords such as ergonomic, musculoskeletal disorder, and motion capture using the KIPRIS (Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service). Collected intellectual properties were classified into ergonomic area and non-ergonomic area, except unexamined intellectual properties. This study investigated the trend of application of intellectual properties and the probability of using motion capture technology. Results: Few intellectual properties with ergonomic approach on musculoskeletal disorders were founded, despite many products for rehabilitation and sports. One hundred twenty five patents in 1105 patents on musculoskeletal disorders and 138 patents in 1908 patents on motion capture technology were classified into the patents that ergonomic approach can be applied. The patents related to ergonomics area are rapidly increasing after 2010, and there are good opportunities for ergonomists to apply the patents. Conclusion: This study found opportunities on novel methodology in detecting the harmful factors of musculoskeletal disorders, and that the motion capture technology is applicable in ergonomic posture assessment. Application: The results of this study can help ergonomists prepare the ergonomic patents, and can show the potential use of motion capture technology in detecting the harmful posture of musculoskeletal disorders.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 2013

Background: This study was conducted to provide preventive measure for the musculoskeletal disorders in automobile parts manufacturing workers. Method: The author surveyed to the musculoskeletal symptoms prevalence and its related factors from 10th to 17th April 2011 with structured self administered questionnaires. 223 out of 225 collected questionnaires were used for final analysis, excluding 2 questionnaires with no valid response. Based on the diagnostic criteria of NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational and Health), an investigation was made into the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms as well as into the factors related to individual items. Results: The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms according to the criteria of NIOSH was the highest in the shoulder (52.9%), followed by the neck (39.%), the hand/wrist (35%), the waist (29.6%), the arm/elbow (24.7%), and the leg/food (23.8%). One-way analysis showed that among general characteristics, age was the musculoskeletal risk factor with the greatest effect. Whereas among work-related characteristics, significant risk factor didn't find. Yet it was shown that among ergonomic work postures, high degree of musculoskeletal risk was shown by the posture involving frequent and repetitive movement of the arm and the hand/wrist and also by the posture involving standing for a long time. Multiple regression analysis showed that musculoskeletal risk was 1.795 times higher in those age 50 and over than in those under age 50; 1.67 times higher in the high risk stress group than in the low risk stress group; and 1.131 higher in the group involving the repetitive use of the hand/arm than in the other groups (p<.05). Conclusion: The prevalence and stress score of automobile parts manufacturing workers were higher than other occupation workers. Among general characteristics, drinking and smoking were shown to be related to stress score; while age was shown to have significant effect on musculoskeletal risk.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.250-260
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• 2005

This study was designed to find the symptom prevalence rates of musculoskeletal disorders and the risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among selected hair dressers. Methods; The survey were conducted from July 1 to 30, 2004 for 459 hair dressers working in Seoul and Gwangju using self-administration questionnaire. The risk factors on musculoskeletal disorders have analysed by multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study are summarized as follows: The experience rate of musculoskeletal disorders symptom in the last one year was 56.4%. The experience rates of each body parts were 36.4% on the shoulders, 30.5% on the legs and the feet, 28.5% on the low back, 27.0% on the hand and the fingers, 23.3% on the neck and 17.0% on the arms and the elbows. The prevalence rate of musculoskeletal disorders symptom in the last one week was 40.5%, those of each body parts were 24.0% on the legs and the feet, 21.4% on the shoulders, 20.7% on the low back, 15.7% on the hand and the wrists, 15.0% on the neck, 9.4% on the arms. The risk factors on musculoskeletal disorders were working posture(${\beta}=0.32$), perceived stress(${\beta}=0.19$), working period(${\beta}=0.16$), standing working over 10 hour(${\beta}=0.16$), hard working(${\beta}=0.11$). The adjusted determinant coefficient($R^2$) of this regression model was 0.267. Based on the results, in order to prevent musculoskeletal disorders of hair dressers, working posture shall be improved and leisure opportunities to relieve stress, and health management program shall be provided.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.45-56
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• 2009

The purposes of this study were to investigate the relationships between the degree of physical pain and the knowledge and preventive actions of musculoskeletal diseases among dental hygiene students with a potential risk of contracting those diseases and thus to help them prevent them. A survey was taken among 207 sophomores and juniors specializing in dental hygiene at S1 and S2, Gyeonggi Province in the area of physical pain, knowledge of musculoskeletal diseases, and preventive actions against them. The findings were as follows: 1. The mean scores of the sophomore in the knowledge of musculoskeletal diseases were $6.20{\pm}2.21$, and those of the juniors were $6.72{\pm}2.29$. The mean scores of the sophomores and juniors in the preventive actions against musculoskeletal diseases were $22.50{\pm}2.37$ and $22.29{\pm}3.01$, respectively. 2. The subjects displayed severe physical pain in the lower back, shoulder, and neck in the descending order and medium physical pain in the neck, shoulder, and lower back in the descending order. 3. The higher level knowledge of musculoskeletal diseases they had, the less physical pain they felt. And there were significant differences among the shoulder, lower back, hip, ankle, and foot. 4. There were relationships between physical pain and the preventive actions against musculoskeletal diseases in "placing the hands at the height of the elbows during treatment", "reducing such positions as bending and extending during treatment", "narrowing the distance with the patient", "taking regular breaks during treatment for recovery", "trying not to incline the neck, back, arm, and wrist as much as possible", and "trying to keep the torso in the neutral position." 5. As for the education about musculoskeletal diseases, 74 sophomores(88.10%) and 102 juniors(89.74%) answered they received no such education. The results suggest that there should be some instructions to help dental hygiene students practice the preventive actions against musculoskeletal diseases and further prevention programs against those diseases.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.124-133
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was conducted to develop a model describing the interaction between lifestyle, job, and postural factors and parts of the upper extremities in shipyard workers. Methods: A questionnaire survey was given to 2,140 workers at a shipyard in Ulsan City. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding the subjects' general characteristics, lifestyle, tenure, physical burden, job control, posture and musculoskeletal symptoms. The overall relationship between variables was analyzed by a structural equation model (SEM). Results: The positive rate of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms increased in employees who worked longer hours, had severe physical burden, and did not have any control over their job. Work with a more frequent unstable posture and for longer hours was also associated with an increased positive rate of musculoskeletal symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that unstable posture and physical burden were closely related to the positive rate of musculoskeletal symptoms after controlling for age, smoking, drinking, exercise, tenure, and job control. In SEM analysis, work-related musculoskeletal disease was influenced directly and indirectly by physical and job stress factors, lifestyle, age, and tenure (p < 0.05). The strongest correlations were found between physical factors and work-related musculoskeletal disease. Conclusion: The model in this study provides a better approximation of the complexity of the actual relationship between risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Among the variables evaluated in this study, physical factors (work posture) had the strongest association with musculoskeletal disorders.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2016

Purpose: Physical therapists are likely to be exposed to work-related musculoskeletal pain due to excessive repetitive tasks. This study was conducted to identify the relationship between work-related musculoskeletal pain and quality of life of physical therapists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaires was sent to 200 physical therapists at in Seoul and Kyoungido. The questionnaires was returned by 170 physical therapists. The questionnaire had included 4 items that coveringed demographic information, areas of musculoskeletal problems, pain rating scale, and WHOQOL-BREF. The analysis was completed using descriptive statistics, and differences between pain and demographic variables were identified using the chi-square test. The relationship between work-related musculoskeletal pain and quality of life was analyzed by t-test and Pearson's correlation. Results: The overall prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain was 76.8%. The most affected pain sites included the low back (48.8%), shoulder (45.,2%), hand and wrist (43.5%), and neck (33.3%). Pain ratings of subjects with pain was were moderate. There was a A significant difference for the subdomains of quality of life was observed between the subjects with musculoskeletal pain and those without pain. Weak negative correlations (r=-0.28) were observed between pain rating scale and QOL. Conclusion: These findings show that physical therapists appear to be at a higher risk for work-related musculoskeletal pain and physical domain of QOL. Therefore, Ffurther research is needed to investigate examine the effect of risk factors and ergonomics as physical load, general health status on prevalence of musculoskeletal pain.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.27-38
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• 2020

Background : The study aimed at examining the awareness and satisfaction level of Korean medicine treatment of musculoskeletal patients and non-musculoskeletal patients. Method : The frequency and percentage were calculated to identify the overall characteristics, and to identify the characteristics of the respondents who visited the hospital to treat musculoskeletal diseases and those who visited for the treatment of non-musculoskeletal diseases, the correlation between the variables was analyzed using the chi-square analysis (χ2-test). Furthermore, analysis items were compared depending on detailed diseases within the musculoskeletal disorder (lumbar pain, sprains, arthritis, frozen shoulders, spondylitis, disc) Result : Respondents who used Korean medicine for the purpose of treating musculoskeletal diseases had answered that costs involved in Korean medicine was expensive, and answered that herbal decoction was the preferred Korean medicine treating method for expanding health insurance benefits. Regarding the safety awareness of Korean medicinal herbs, responses that said it was safe was high, and their willingness to use and recommend Korean medicine in future was also high. Respondents who used Korean medicine for the purpose of treating musculoskeletal diseases said they were overall satisfied along with the attitude of Korean medical doctors, treatment results, and costs of treatments. Conclusion : The study was aimed at securing basic data to indirectly identify the national demand for Korean medicine, through investigating the level and degree of differences that exist in the perception and satisfication level and further find a point where policy intervention is possible in future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.52-59
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• 2023

Due to the routine nature of social distancing in accordance with the COVID-19 pandemic, the logistics industry is under rapid development, given that offline demand is focused on online platforms. The number of warehouse workplaces and workers are steadily increasing per annum, and the industrial accident rate of transportation, warehouse, and telecommunication industries to which warehouse employees belong is higher than the total industrial accident rate in Korea. In previous studies, warehouse workers reported exposure to health hazards such as musculoskeletal disorders due to the handling of heavy objects and improper working postures. Accordingly, in this study, a survey was conducted to investigate symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders with focus on parcel delivery workers nationwide. The questionnaire included a musculoskeletal disorder symptom survey table to identify information such as worker occupational history, work type, and signs or symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders. Survey response data from 453 people were obtained to determine the influence of delivery business characteristics on occupational musculoskeletal disorders, and the influencing factors were analyzed. Based on the results, in the analysis of pain with respect to body part, the duration, degree, and frequency of pain were highest in the leg part, and as a result, the average value for the leg part exhibited a significant difference from those of other body parts. In addition, 52.32% of workers exhibited symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, and a high number of patients with musculoskeletal disorders was observed in the work group with less than three years of service and with ages ranging from 30-39. The results of this study can serve as basic data for the derivation of a management plan that meets the characteristics of musculoskeletal disorders that impact logistics workers overburdened with work due to the rapid increase in parcel delivery volume in accordance with an increase in online consumption.