• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.342-353
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to systematically review literature and conduct a meta-analysis to comprehensively identify and evaluate the effects of workplace risk assessment-based ergonomic intervention on work-related muscular-skeletal disorders in workers. Methods: We searched the Ovid-Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane library and up to 2018 using search terms such as muscular-skeletal, disorder, impairment, work-related muscular-skeletal disorders, ergonomic, intervention, management with no language limitations; screened reference lists; and contacted experts in the field. Results: We identified 545 references and included 13 randomized controlled tests (3,368 workers). We judged nine studies to have a low risk of bias, while the other four studies have a high risk of bias. Conclusion: Ergonomic intervention based on risk assessment in the workplace did not significantly differ in terms of the intensity of pain or duration of workers in the workplace, but low-quality evidence decreased the frequency of musculoskeletal disorder pain in three to six months moderate-quality evidence and in six to nine months low-quality evidence. Besides, low-quality evidence to reduce discomfort and moderate-quality evidence to improve worker posture. Therefore, ergonomic intervention based on the assessment of risk factors in the workplace should be applied to reduce pain frequency and discomfort and improve workers posture among musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.4523-4530
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• 2011

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of stretching management on musculoskeletal joint pain in community indwelling elderly farmers. The study included 28 residents who lived in a rural community. All participants were assigned randomly to either the stretching group (n=13, $59.67{\pm}4.77$ year-old) or the control group (n=15, $61.44{\pm}10.41$ year-old). Respondents were interviewed by means of a structured questionnaire. Pain severity of 6 body areas caused by symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and pain severity on day time variations were measured by the visual analogue scale on a self-assessed questionnaire. The stretching group was administered stretching therapy (45 min, 2 sets, warming up and cool down, main exercise; total 19 stretching kinds of subset 5 fields) for 12 times for 4 weeks. There were no significant difference between the two groups in general social and pain characteristics. After 4 weeks of stretching, the stretching group showed significant improvements at almost all joint pain scores except arm/elbow, and day time variation scores of pain compared to both baseline scores, and with control group scores. These results showed that stretching therapy is one of the most useful modalities to manage musculoskeletal pain in community-based elderly farmers.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2003

This study is an attempt to analyze the physical load by the type of the nursing tasks at the neurosurgical ICU nurses through the quantitative analysis of the working postures by the type of the nursing tasks with the OWAS(Ovako Working Postures Analysis System). Data collection was conducted through the video recording of the 13 nurses working at the neurosurgical ICU. For the analysis of the work postures by the type of the nursing tasks, and were interviewed regarding the subjective degree of the difficulties with the work postures related to the tasks. Collected data was analyzed through the WinOWAS program. The results were as follows : AC3 or AC4 tasks among the 18 nursing tasks types are "occupied bed making and change of the patient gown", "back massage", "suction", "elimination management", "change of position", "adjustment of bed", "helping the patient to move","measurement of CVP"and "measurement of urine volume". It appears that these tasks are harmful to the musculoskeletal system and the improvement or change of the work is required. The results stated above indicate that improper working postures during the nursing tasks influence the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, making use of assistant devices for the improvement of the working environment at the nursing tasks, based on human technological diagnoses, is required regarding the duty types with massive work pressure known to be harmful to the musculoskeletal system among those performed by the nurses. And there is a need of the education about the employment and maintenance of the vocational back pain prevention.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.91-96
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• 2010

Purpose: Among computer users, the awkward posture and workstation setups of workers contribute to work-related upper limb musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a traditional physical therapy and ergonomic intervention by physical therapists in 4 computer users. Methods: After checking Visual Analogue Scores (VAS), four subjects who were treated by physical therapy for neck and shoulder problems related to VDT syndrome were enrolled in the study. All subjects spent at least 40 hours per week at a computer workstation. All subjects had pain and ergonomic states evaluated using methods such as VAS, Neck Disability Index (NDI), Workstyle short form, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), and OSHA VDT checklist (Occupational Safety and Health Administration video display terminal) before a physical therapy + ergonomic intervention. Participants were re-evaluated 1 month later. Results: Participants showed more improvement of their neck pain after being treated with a physical therapy plus ergonomic intervention than when treatment consisted only of physical therapy. Improvements in RULA, Workstyle short form, and OSHA VDT checklist also were achieved. Conclusion: This case study suggests the importance of examining the work habits and work-related postures of subjects who complain of neck and shoulder pain that is exacerbated by computer use. Personalized ergonomic interventions and physical therapy can lead to improvement of patients with VDT syndrome.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2014

For professional drivers, there is a possibility to have musculoskeletal disorders on ankle joint due to repetitive pedaling operation. Therefore, this study have focused to examine ankle active range of motion (AROM), dorsiflexor strength, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) of tibialis anterior muscle (TA) in taxi drivers compared to a age-matched control group. Thirty male taxi drivers with at least 10 years of driving experience and thirty male sedentary workers were evaluated for ankle AROM, dorsiflexor strength, and PPT of TA. Multiple independent t-tests were used to identify significant differences between two groups. For the results, taxi drivers had significantly less AROM in dorsiflexion and greater AROM in external tibial rotation compared to the control group. Also, dorsiflexor strength and PPT of TA in taxi drivers was significantly lower than in the control group. This study indicates that the repetitive ankle movements associated with driving have an effect on ankle AROM, dorsiflexor strength, and PPT of TA and may lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders on ankle. Professional drivers may need to be educated to prevent a potential musculoskeletal disorders associated with repetitive movement.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.685-693
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• 2012

Objectives : This research was conducted to find the subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system for main jobs and job posture. Methods : A survey was conducted from September 15, 2011 to October 7, 2011 and 357 dental hygienists were responded. The survey was consisted of the working environment and medical equipments, psycho-social characteristics, health habits and education, job posture, subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system pain, and so on. Results : In the survey on the frequency of job posture of dental hygienists by jobs, said they cast down or tilt their head by 15 degrees or more or twist or bend their back. The result of the analysis on the subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system by main job showed that they experienced a pain in neck, shoulder, and back, although the order differed. The order of subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system for casting down or turning head by 15 degrees or more, twisting or bending back, having shoulders not parallel to the ground, sitting at the end of a chair, and supporting the whole body with one leg or pressing on a pedal for treatment was from the shoulders to the neck to the back. The order of subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system for having arms too far from the body or hunching for treatment and bending wrists inward or outward for treatment was from the shoulders to the back to the neck. Conclusions : Due to the characteristics of the job which requires one to have a proper view of a patient's oral cavity, most of the postures included casting down of head or bending of back. Therefore a development of new postures is needed to replace the existing job postures which pressure the musculoskeletal system. And shift rotation can be used as a preventive measure.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.79-88
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of personal, job, and health care characteristics of firefighters on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and job stress. This survey was participated 591 firefighters in jeonnam and Busan city. The survey consisted of 1) personal, job, and health care characteristics measurement, 2) job stress measurement (KOSS, Korean Occupational Stress Scale), 3) musculoskeletal disorders symptoms mesurement. The analysis of the data was using SAS 9.1 Ver. The statistics analysis was performed the frequency, percentage, average, and standard deviation for each survey item. The Chi square analysis was performed to analyzed the effects of personal, job, and health care characteristics on MSDs and job stress. According to the results of the study on musculoskeletal disorders symptoms, 49.6% of the subjects perceived pain related to musculoskeletal diseases. The total score for job stress was 51.6 (SD 12.9), which was the highest 50% when compared to the Korean job stress standard (male). Age, department, work experience, working type, position, and sleeping time were found to affect musculoskeletal disorders and job stress.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 2008

The objective of this study is to survey the risk factors of greenhouse vegetables farmers' work-related musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs). To offer the fundamental data for agricultural improvement of greenhouse vegetable farms, the questionnaire of MSDs and heath condition were carried out. A group of 736 workers(males=492, females=244) in 6 branches constitutes the population and database for the analysis between 2004 and 2005. The sample branch was chosen based on paper are watermelon, strawberry, tomato, melon, cucumber, lettuce. The results are as follows: 1. Smoking rates in cucumber and tomato is the highest. 2. Drinking rates in strawberry, cucumber and lettuce is the highest in males, watermelon and melon are the highest in females. 3. Regular exercise rates in melon are the highest. 4. Physical and mental fatigue in females is higher than that of males in most crops except melon. That of strawberry and tomato is the highest. 5. The prevalence rates of medical diagnosed diseases are higher in order of osteoarthritis, herniated nucleus pulposus(HNP), and hypertension. That of strawberry, melon, and cucumber is high in case of osteoarthritis; Strawberry, melon, and watermelon are high in case of HNP. 6. Prevalence rates of musculoskeletal symptoms among the various pain areas are higher in order of low back, knees, and shoulders. That of tomato and watermelon is high in case of low back; strawberry and tomato are high in case of knees. These results can be used practically for agricultural improvement of greenhouse vegetables farms to prevent MSDs.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.409-418
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• 2011

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the child-care teachers' job in relation to physical work. Background: Child-care teacher is directly related to the quality of child care. And their physical activity is higher than general education teachers because the proportion of day care is high. But analyzes of child-care teachers' job burdens and the work environment associated with physical activity is not well established. Method: To conduct this study, the child-care teachers' job was classified into 18 physical works. After classification, posture was evaluated by ergonomic posture evaluation schemes of OWAS, RULA, REBA and evaluated for each physical part. Next, musculoskeletal subjective symptoms were analyzed. Results: The results showed the following: The highest assessment on the posture evaluation was "helping children to ride a school bus", "feeding: meal/snack", "brushing children's teeth" and "arrangement of nap-stuff". The rank of high-risk assessment on the neck/trunk/leg part was arranged by: "feeding: meal/snack", "helping children to ride a school bus", "making nap", "arrangement nap-stuff" and "brushing children's teeth". The rank of high-risk assessment on the upper limbs part was arranged by: "helping children to ride a school bus", "the bust - group activity", "meal/snack time - preparing, feeding, arrangement", "nap time - preparing, arrangement", "brushing children's teeth", and "using the toilet". According to the results of each musculoskeletal subjective symptom, teachers ordered the pain area as follows: waist, shoulder, leg/feet, and neck, and they showed more pain on trunk than the upper limbs. Conclusion: To sum up the results from ergonomic posture evaluation and a subjective symptom, the following are high working pressures: "feeding: meal/snack", "the bust - group activity", "making nap", "brushing children's teeth" with deep bending and waist twisting, "helping children to ride a school bus", "brushing children's teeth" with lifting shoulder; "meal/snack time - preparing, arrangement", "nap time - preparing, arrangement", and "using the toilet" with moving or an up-down position in their job. Application: The results of this study might be information for improvement of the child-care teachers' job environment.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.245-256
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to research the situation and related knowledge and behavior of Korean beauty artists on their musculoskeletal disorders and the factors on them. It was researched by questionnaire from March 1 to May 31, 2003, and the subjects were 984 of beauty artists who were working as hair designers, skin care specialists, and make-up artists over 1 year in big cities including Seoul, Daegu, Busan and Gwangju. The analyzation was done by frequency, percentage, $x^2-test$, t-test. The results can be summarized as follows; 1. As for their degree of pain according to part of their body, the highest was shoulder as 88.3%, and next were neck(cervical region) as 83.2%, waist as 77.6%, and wrist(hand) as 71.8%, in order. 2. The level of knowledge on the muscloskeletal disorder was 65.6 points on the basis 100points. As for their level of protective behavior and knowledge on the disorders of musculoskeletal system according to their educational experience, the higher educational level they had the higher knowledge level they showed, as 42.6% of 'high', 30.4% of 'medium', and 27.0% of low; and as for degree of performing the protective behavior, they showed the higher protective behavior level when they had the higher educational level. 3. As for their level of knowledge on disorders of musculoskeletal system according to their general uniqueness as beauty artists, they showed statistical significance on the field of their marriage status, educational degree, specialized field, and numbers of customers they manage; and as for the degree of their protective behavior, they showed statistical significance in the field of age, marriage status, specialized field, and rank in their jobs. 4. The level of protecting behavior on the muscloskeletal disorder was 57.4 points on the basis 100points. As for their degree of pain on each part of their body according to their protective behavior and knowledge on musculoskeletal system, it had statistical significance on their elbows and hips, and the less pain they showed when the higher knowledge they had; it had statistical significance on their neck(cervical region), shoulders, backs, waists, knees and ankles(feet) according their protective behavior, and the less pain they showed when the higher level of protective behavior they did.