• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.289-296
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• 2005

This study aims to measure maximum holding times(MHTs) of symmetric and asymmetric whole body postures, and to compare three representative observational methods including OWAS, RULA, REBA, based on the MHTs. An experiment was conducted for obtaining the MHTs, in which hand position was used as experimental variable, and the MHT and subjective discomfort rating as dependent variables. The hand position was defined by the percentage of the shoulder height(%SH), the percentage of the arm reach(%AR) and rotation angle(R). The results showed that three independent variables of %SH, %AR and R significantly affected on the MHTs at ${\alpha}$=0.01, and that the MHTs were negatively linearly related to the discomfort scores of Borg CR10. It was also revealed that OWAS and REBA were less sensitive to postural stress than RULA. In addition, OWAS and REBA underestimated postural load of given postures compared to RULA. Therefore, it is recommended that among the three observational methods investigated in this study, RULA be used for a more precise evaluation of postural load.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.11-27
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• 2005

The objectives of this study are to analyze representative wrist postures while using hand tools and parts at general assembly processes, to evaluate perceived discomfort on the wrist when external loads are present, and to suggest an evaluation and prediction model of perceived discomfort. Sixteen subjects participated in an experiment to appraise perceived discomfort. Three types of the wrist postures with five levels of non-neutralities were analyzed when five levels of external load were applied to each posture. The ANOVA results showed that the perceived discomfort of wrist postures was significantly affected by both the wrist posture and external load (p$<$0.001). It was also shown that some of the interactions between external loads and the wrist postures(Flexion/$Extension^*$Load, Flexion/$Extension^*$supination/pronation, ulnar/radial $deviation^*$supination/pronation) were significant(p$<$0.001). The result implies that a new posture classification scheme for workload assessment methods may be needed to reflect such effects of external load and wrist posture. A regression model of perceived discomfort was developed with respect to wrist posture and external load from the experimental data. A subsequent experiment revealed that the correlation coefficient between the predicted values of perceived discomfort from the model and the actual values obtained from the experiment was about 0.98. It is expected that the results help to properly estimate the body stress resulting from worker's postures and external loads and can be used as a valuable design guideline to analyze potential hazard of musculoskeletal diseases in industry.

• IE interfaces
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.288-296
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• 2005

Many jobs and activities in our daily lives require squatting postures. The fore part includes housekeepers, farmers, and welders and the latter includes a wide variety of activities such as housekeeping; planting, cultivating and harvesting various agricultural products; grinding, welding, etc. It is speculated that prolonged squatting postures without any supporting stool would gradually cause musculoskeletal injuries to workers. This study is conducted to examine the proper height of stools according to the position of the working materials and to develop wearable stools for workers with squatting posture. Forty male and female subjects participated in the experiment to find the proper height of stools according to the position of the working materials. Subjects were asked to squat and work with 3 different working positions: floor level; ankle level; shank level of 3 different stool height conditions: 10cm height; 15cm height; and 20cm height. After 5 minutes of maintaining a squatting work posture while sitting on the different height stools, Likert summated rating method as well as pairwise ranking test was applied to evaluate the user preferences for provided stools under the conditions of different working positions. The results of statistical analysis show that the subjects preferred 10cm height stool for floor level, 15cm height stool for ankle level, 20cm height stool for knee level. We thus strongly recommend to use appropriate height stools in accordance with the different working positions. Moreover, a prototype wearable stool was designed such that workers with squatting posture do not need to move the stool while they are moving about. The purpose of developing wearable stool was to decrease the physical stress and hence promote worker's health who work with squatting posture.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.269-273
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• 2013

Objective : Posture induced common peroneal nerve (CPN) palsy is usually produced during the prolonged squatting or habitual leg crossing while seated, especially in Asian culture and is manifested by the onset of foot drop. Because of its similarity to discogenic foot drop, patients may be diagnosed with a lumbar disc disorder, and in some patients, surgeons may perform unnecessary examinations and even spine surgery. The purpose of our study is to establish the clinical characteristics and diagnostic assessment of posture induced CPN palsy. Methods : From June 2008 to June 2012, a retrospective study was performed on 26 patients diagnosed with peroneal nerve palsy in neurophysiologic study among patients experiencing foot drop after maintaining a certain posture for a long time. Results : The inducing postures were squatting (14 patients), sitting cross-legged (6 patients), lying down (4 patients), walking and driving. The mean prolonged neural injury time was 124.2 minutes. The most common clinical presentation was foot drop and the most affected sensory area was dorsum of the foot with tingling sensation (14 patients), numbness (8 patients), and burning sensation (4 patients). The clinical improvement began after a mean 6 weeks, which is not related to neural injury times. Electrophysiology evaluation was performed after 2 weeks later and showed delayed CPN nerve conduction study (NCS) in 24 patients and deep peroneal nerve in 2 patients. Conclusion : We suggest that an awareness of these clinical characteristics and diagnostic assessment methods may help clinicians make a diagnosis of posture induced CPN palsy and preclude unnecessary studies or inappropriate treatment in foot drop patients.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.476-490
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• 1991

Although various technical details of the surgical procedures have been improved, Skeletal relapse is the most noteworthy complication of orthognathic surgery. It seems to be an imbalance of the perioral muscular groups resulting from changes in the cavitas oris propria after surgery. Among other factors, it is widely known with the changes of tongue posture, as indicated by the hyoid position. Ten patients that had undergone mandibular setbacks by way of Modified Obwegeser method were evaluated retrospectively. The serial cephalometric films were taken preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, after removal of IMF, and at a subsequent long-term follow-up period. The cephalometric evaluation of tongue posture were based on stable craniofacial landmarks. The relation between the 2-dimensional changes of tongue posture and hyoid position and the relapse of mandibular setback are discussed. Anatomic changes that were found to accompany such setback are as follows. 1.There are 2 cases of relapse in 10 patients at long-term follow-up(20%) 2.The tongue was moved posteriorly and its size was reduced anteriorly and posteriorly at immediate postoperative change and then the mandible shifted slightly toward the preoperative position, but the long was adapted to its new environment due to changing the position of its posterior part, and also the hyoid that moved posterioly and inferiorly was stabilized sightly posteriorly than its original position. 3.On the distance change of the suprahyoid muscle, the distance of P-H, ST-H was increased at immediate postoperative change(p<0.01) and decreased at IMF period(p<0.001), but the distance of H-Me, H-Ge was slightly decreased at IMF and long-term period(p<0.05). 4.On the width change of the pharyngeal air way, the width of the upper part of the pharyngeal space was lightly contracted at IMF and long-term period(p<0.05). 5.On the relation between mandibular setback and tongue posture and hyoid position, the significant correlation was found between the changes of some parts of mandibular setback and those of tongue posture, and not found those of hyoid position.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.671-681
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• 2011

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare the workload level at each lower limbs posture and suggest the ergonomic workstation guideline for working period by evaluating the imbalanced lower limbs postures from the physiological and psychophysical points of view. Background: Many workers like welders are working in various imbalanced lower limbs postures either due to the narrow working conditions or other environmental conditions. Method: Ten male subjects participated in this experiment. Subjects were asked to maintain 3 different lower limbs postures(standing, squatting and bending) with 3 different working conditions(balanced floor with no scaffold, imbalanced floor with 10cm height of scaffold, and imbalanced floor with 20cm height of scaffold). EMG data for the 4 muscle groups(Retus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Tibialis Anterior, Gastrocnemius) from each lower limbs posture were collected for 20 seconds every 2 minutes during the 8 minutes sustaining task. Subjects were also asked to report their discomfort ratings of body parts such as waist, upper legs, lower legs, and ankle. Results: The ANOVA results showed that the EMG root mean square(RMS) values and the discomfort ratings(CR-10 Rating Scale) were significantly affected by lower limbs postures and working time(p<0.05). The correlation was analyzed between the EMG data and the discomfort ratings. Also, prediction models for the discomfort rating for each posture were developed using physical condition, working time, and scaffold height. Conclusion: We strongly recommend that one should not work more than 6 minutes in a standing or squatting postures and should not work more than 4 minutes in a bending posture. Application: The results of this study could be used to design and assess working environments and methods. Furthermore, these results could be used to suggest ergonomic guidelines for the lower limbs postures such as squatting and bending in the working fields in order to prevent fatigue and pain in the lower limbs body.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2014

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of BackJoy on how it effectively reduces the physical load generated in a posture in which the user sits, increases user's comfort and satisfaction, and maintains the correct posture. Background: Because of development of science and economic development, most office workers and students spend about 75% of their working time in chairs. However most of them have a poor posture. Method: This experiment conducted measurement using a pressure mat and surveyed to evaluate fatigue level, satisfaction and comfort of sit. The study is experimented 20 male and 14 female participants. The participants carried out four different types of tasks and each task took 20 minutes long. Results: In the case of experiment results before and after the use of BackJoy, average pressure, contact area and pressure per unit area appear to prove that using BackJoy is more effective. Conclusion: Through this study, the BackJoy's effects for the maintenance of good posture and loads that occur in the body are reduced. In the future study, there are some researches needed for various verifications using an EMG sensor that shows loads of vertebrae and we need to analyze each group of the participants by dividing them. Application: The evaluation method used in this study can be applied to evaluating ergonomic chairs.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-19
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• 2009

Repetitive movement, inadequate working posture, overuse of force, physical contact with sharp edge, vibration and temperature were well known risk factors of WMSDs (Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders). Many researchers have investigated the relationship between inadequate working postures and incidences of WMSDs of the upper extremities, whereas relatively few researchers have tried to evaluate workload associated with the lower-body postures. The effects of lower-limb postures including various knee flexion angles on the subjective discomfort, heart rate and EMG of lower-limb muscles were investigated in this study. Thirty graduate students were asked to maintain thirteen different body postures, and heart rate and EMG data of five muscle groups (electro spine, biceps femoris, vastus medialis, gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior) from each posture were collected during fifteen minutes sustaining tasks. All participants were also asked to report their discomfort ratings of body parts. Results showed that high subjective discomfort ratings and heart rates were reported at the postures of knee angles of $60^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$, whereas low discomfort ratings were founded at the postures of chair heights with 20cm, 40cm, and sitting with crossed legged. The change of median frequency for each muscle group during fifteen minutes tasks was investigated for each body posture to evaluate the relationship between muscle fatigue and body posture. It was found that the trends of changes of median frequency were different based on muscle group as well as lower-limb body posture from this study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.955-968
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• 2010

Three-dimensional body data has been used in many industry fields including the apparel industry. This research used data from a study of the changes in lower body girth measurements from a 3D scan study of 25 female subjects aged 18 to 24 in four postures; a standing posture, a $120^{\circ}$ knee bend posture, a one pace stepping posture, and a sitting posture with a $90^{\circ}$ knee bend. We used the information on the difference between standing and seated measurements to adjust ease values for pants patterns an evaluation of the appearance, and the comfort of the pants. Waist girth in the sitting posture increased 8% compared to a standing posture and the hip girth measurement increased 7%. A basic pants pattern (pants A) with 2.4cm ease at the waist and 2.6cm ease at the hip was developed and a pants pattern (pants B) was developed using the rates of lower body girth change with a 5.7cm ease (8% change) at the waist and 7cm ease (7% change) at the hip. The appearance assessment items of pants A in a standing posture were higher than pants B. On the other hand, most appearance assessment items of pants B in a sitting posture were higher than pants A, especially the ease of pants back waistline and the appearance of the whole back. Comfort assessment items of pants B in both standing and sitting postures were higher than the comfort assessment items for pants A, especially the location of pants waistline, the ease of pants at the waistline, and the ease at the abdomen. In order to find the best level of ease for better appearance and comfort in both standing and sitting postures, 20 pants were constructed with ease values at the waist and hip in increments of 1.1cm in the range between the ease values of pants A and pants B. A fit test was conducted to compare the average appearance and comfort ratings that identified the pants with the best ease values at the waist and hip. The highest total mean was achieved in the pants with a waist ease of 4.6cm and hip ease of 4.8cm.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.435-444
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• 2010

To identify and evaluate the risk factors in WMSD work, a number of ergonomic workload evaluation methods have been developed. In the legal examination of WMSD risk factors, simple observational workload evaluation methods are widely used instead of using costly measurement equipments such as EMG and motion analyzer. The simple workload evaluation methods can be categorized into three groups; risk factor checklist methods, posture observation methods, and manual material handling task evaluation methods. In terms of the categories, this survey summarized several representative workload evaluation methods and compared them each other. Then some industrial application cases referring each the workload evaluation methods were surveyed. Due to the characteristics of each method, the selection and application procedure of workload evaluation method should be appropriate for the corresponding work. Therefore, some guidelines for the selection and application procedure of workload evaluation method were suggested.