• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.111-119
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• 2016

This study aimed to analyze postures that were frequently conducted in manufacturing industry. To find grip strength and muscle activities of each posture, Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC) and ElectroMyoGraphy (EMG) were measured. Based on the results of this study, the most appropriate posture could be suggested and used as a basic information for preventing musculoskeletal disorders. Most work-related musculoskeletal disorders have been occurred in the fields of manufacturing industry. According to previous studies, it was reported that the rate of musculoskeletal diseases of upper extremity was higher than that of other body parts. Accordingly, there were many studies about discomfort and grip strength of upper extremity. However, these studies dealt with single selection of wrist, elbow and shoulder. So, it was insufficient for comprehensive studies about upper extremity. And in order to improve the work posture, the physiological changes being generated by the combination of wrist, elbow and shoulder postures should be observed and analyzed. In order to conduct this study, thirty university students who had no records of MSDs involved were recruited. Independent variables were postures of wrist(pronation, neutral, supination), postures of elbow(flexion $45^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$) and postures of shoulder(flexion $0^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$). And dependent variables were MVC values and EMG values. Jamar dynamometer and TeleMyo 2400T G2 was used to measure MVC and EMG. MVC and EMG for 12 postures were measured for three second and for three times. Experiment was performed randomly. A 10 minutes rest period was provided after each t. To measure muscle load, the EMG signals of eight muscles (Biceps, Medial triceps, Lateral triceps, Brachioradialis, Extensor carpi ulnaris, Extensor carpi radialis, Flexor carpi ulnaris and Flexor carpi radialis) were evaluated. MVC values and EMG values were analyzed using Minitab ver. 14. The results showed that MVC value was the highest at shoulder $0^{\circ}$, elbow $45^{\circ}$ and wrist supination. In case of wrist postures, MVC of supination is the highest. In case of elbow and shoulder postures, MVC of flexion $45^{\circ}$ and $0^{\circ}$ was the highest. It was found that there were interaction between wrist and elbow posture under shoulder flexion and between shoulder and wrist under elbow flexion $45^{\circ}$. In case of the angle of shoulder $0^{\circ}$, elbow $45^{\circ}$ and wrist supination, the EMG values of four muscles(Medial Triceps, Extensor carpi ulnaris, Extensor carpi radialis, Flexor carpi ulnaris) were the highest. Based on this study, it is worth to note that the combination postures of upper extremity have a large impact on the MVC and EMG. The optimal condition upper extremity was shoulder flexion $0^{\circ}$, elbow flexion $45^{\circ}$ and wrist supination for preventing work-related musculoskeletal disease.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.695-703
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• 2011

Objective: This study was to investigate the effects of coordinated upper-limb body postures on the subjective discomfort rating, heart rate, and muscle activities. Background: Although generally many checklists such as OWAS, RULA, and REBA were applied to evaluate various body postures, the body postures were might be overestimated or underestimated because each body part(i.e., back, shoulder, and elbow etc.) was evaluated separately, and then added all rates of individual body parts to assess an overall risk level for the body posture in these methodologies. Methods: A total of 20 participants maintained 14 postures which were combinations of back, shoulder, and elbow flexion angles and then muscle activities, subjective discomfort, and heart rates were collected every three minute during a sustained 15 minute and 0.5kg weight holding task. Four muscle groups were investigated: erector spine, anterior deltoid, upper trapezius, triceps brachii. Results: Results showed that subjective discomfort was the lowest when the angle of back and shoulder were both $0^{\circ}s$, while the body posture with $45^{\circ}$ of back angle and $45^{\circ}$ shoulder angle was rated as the most subjective discomfort posture. In general, the subjective discomfort ratings increased as back and shoulder flexion angles increased. It was noted that, however, the subjective discomfort of body posture with a $45^{\circ}$ back angle and $45^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion angle was lower than that of body posture with a $0^{\circ}$ back and $45^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion angle. The research findings of heart rates and muscle activities showed similar results for the analyses of subjective discomfort ratings. Conclusions: The possible limitations of the current ergonomics evaluation techniques which assessing a body posture with summing all body part score after individually analyzed in this study. Based on the analyses of subjective discomfort, heart rate, and muscle activities, it was recommended that a use of effects of coordinated upper-limb body postures would be considered when one evaluates work-load for various working postures. Application: These findings can be used for developing a more accurate assessment checklist for working posture as well as preventing musculoskeletal disorders of workers in workplaces.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2012

Purpose : This study's purpose is consideration about change of the hand grip strength according to different posture and shoulder flexion angle. The shoulder joint permits the greatest mobility and carries out the important function of stabilization for hand use. Hand grip activity is important to evaluate while assessing loads of shoulder in hand mobilities. Methods : Thirty(15 male, 15 female) college students with unknown shoulder dysfunction participated subject in five different positions of elbow extension with sitting and standing posture, different positions is followed : (1) shoulder $0^{\circ}$ flexion (2) shoulder $45^{\circ}$ flexion (3) shoulder $90^{\circ}$ flexion (4) shoulder $135^{\circ}$ flexion (5) shoulder $180^{\circ}$ flexion. Results : On the average, in the hand grip strength, the standing posture is higher than sitting posture. Sitting posture showed a most high level at the man's $0^{\circ}$ and woman's $135^{\circ}$. And standing posture showed a most high level at the man's $135^{\circ}$ and woman's $90^{\circ}$. Conclusion : The paired t-test was used to determine the different in grip strength between sitting and standing posture by shoulder angle change. There was no significant difference between the five position by sitting and standing posture. In man, correlation analysis revealed significant connection for all five position by sitting and standing posture. And in woman, correlation analysis revealed connection for all five position by sitting and standing posture.

• 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.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.239-246
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• 2019

This study aims to examine the correlation between pectoralis minor, shoulder mobility, and neck range of motion on rounded shoulder posture for Life-care increase in Women university student. The 80 female adults with rounded shoulder posture were selected for this study. Measurements of shoulder height were obtained by measuring the rounded shoulder posture using a caliper. To measure the length of pectoralis minor, a tape measure was used to measure from the point where the 4th rib and sternum meets to the inferior medial side of coracoid process. Shoulder mobility was measured by holding fists in both hands, then raising one side of the elbow until the palm on that side can be placed on the back, while lowering the other side of the elbow until the back of the hand on that side can be placed on the back. Neck range of motion was used to measure the neck movement including the flexion and the extension, lateral flexion to the right or to the left, and rotation to the right or to the left. The results of this study showed that there are significant negative correlations between pectoralis minor index, shoulder mobility, and neck range of motion in rounded shoulder posture(p<0.05). From these results, in female students with rounded shoulder, the lateral flexion of the neck to the left decreased as the left shoulder mobility increased, the neck extension decreased as the right pectoralis minor shortened, and the rotation of the neck to the left decreased as the left shoulder mobility increased.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.21 no.B
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• pp.265-272
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• 2001

The human arm is modeled by three rigid bodies(the upper arm, the forearm and the hand)with seven degree of freedom(three in the shoulder, two in the elbow and two in the wrist). The objective of this work is to present a method to determine the three-dimensional kinematics of the human elbow joint using a magnetic tracking device. Euler angle were used to determine the elbow flexion-extension, and the pronation-supination. The elbow motion for the various driving conditions is measured through the driving test using a simulator. Discomfort levels of elbow joint motions were obtained as discomfort functions, which were based on subjects' perceived discomfort level estimated by magnitude estimation. The results showed that the discomfort posture of elbow joint motions occurred in the driving motion.

• IE interfaces
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.218-225
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• 2004

This study aims to investigate effect of external load and motion repetitiveness on perceived discomfort. An experiment was performed for measuring discomfort scores at varying conditions, in which external load, motion repetitiveness and arm posture were employed as experimental variables. The arm posture was controlled by shoulder flexion and abduction, and by elbow flexion. Fifteen healthy college-age students without history of musculoskeletal disorders voluntarily participated in the experiment. The results showed that the effect of external load, motion repetitiveness and shoulder posture on discomfort were statistically significant, but that elbow posture did not significantly affect discomfort ratings. The effect of external load was much larger than that of any other variables, and that of repetitiveness was second only to external load. Discomfort scores significantly increased linearly as the levels of external load and motion repetitiveness increased. This implies that although they were not fully reflected in the existing posture classification scheme such as OWAS, RULA, etc., the effect of external load and motion repetitiveness should be taken into consideration for precisely quantifying work load in industry. Based on regression analysis, equivalent values of external load and motion repetitiveness in terms of discomfort scores were provided, which would be useful for better understanding the degree of their effect on work load.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.19 no.4 s.68
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• pp.123-128
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• 2004

This study investigated effect of arm posture, repetition of wrist motion and external load on perceived discomfort. The arm postures were controlled by shoulder flexion, elbow flexion, and ist motions such as flexion, extension, radial deviation and ulnar deviation. An experiment was conducted to measure discomfort scores for experimental treatments using the magnitude estimation, in which the L16 orthogonal array was adopted for reducing the size of experiment. The results showed that while the effect of the shoulder flexion, repetition of wrist motion and external load was statistically significant at $\alpha=0.05$or 0.10, that of the elbow and wrist motions was not. Discomfor ratings increased linearly as levels of wrist repetition and external load increased. This implies that the existing posture classification schemes such as OWAS, RULA, which do not properly consider effect of motion repetition and external load, may underestimate postural load. Based on the regression equation for wrist repetition and external load, isocomfort region indicating the region within which discomfort scores were expected to be the same was proposed. It is recommended that when assessing risk of postures or developing new posture classification schemes, motion repetition and external load as well as posture itself be fully taken into consideration for precisely evaluating postural stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.178-183
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively investigate the effects of external load upper extremity posture on perceived discomfort. An experiment was conducted for measuring discomfort scores depending upon external loads and upper extremity postures, in which the free modules and numeric estimate method of the magnitude estimation was adopted as a tool for obtaining discomfort ratings. The upper extremity postures were controlled by wrist flexion/extension, elbow foexion, shoulder flexion, and shoulder adduction/abduction. The results showed that all experimental variables except shoulder adduction/abduction were significant at ${\alpha}$=0.01 or 0.05. The effect of external load was very much larger than that of upper extremity postures. Therefore, it is recommended that a new posture classification scheme taking effect of external load to into consideration be developed for quantifying postural load.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.46-53
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• 2002

Push-pull strength has been found to be associated with various work factors such as height, distance, repetition, duration, posture and individual factors. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the effect of various work factors on push-pull strength and muscle recruitment pattern. Work factors were consisted of grip height(elbow, shoulder), grip distance(100%, 50%, and 25% of maximum grip distance) and shoulder angle(neutral($90^{\cire}$), and abduction($45^{\cire}$, $0^{\cire}$)) during sitting work. The results showed that the normalized strength and EMG value were higher at the elbow height than the shoulder height, and increased with grip distance and shoulder adduction. The results of ANOVA showed that there was significant difference on muscle recruitment patterns among the task conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to consider work factors as well as strength to prevent workers from work-related injuries.