• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.413-423
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• 2001

Low back disorders (LBDs) are one of the most common and costly work-related musculoskeletal disorders. One of the major possible risk factors of LBDs is to work with static and awkward trunk postures, especially in a complex trunk posture involving flexion, twisting and lateral bending simultaneously. This study is to examine the effect of complex trunk postures on the postural stresses using a psychophysical method. Twelve healthy male students participated in an experiment, in which 29 different trunk postures were evaluated using the magnitude estimation method. The results showed that subjective discomfort significantly increased as the levels of trunk flexion, lateral bending and rotation increased. Significant interaction effects were found between rotation and lateral bending or flexion when the severe lateral bending or rotation were assumed, indicating that simultaneous occurrence of trunk flexion, lateral bending and rotation increases discomfort ratings synergistically. A postural workload evaluation scheme of trunk postures was proposed based on the angular deviation levels from the neutral position. Each trunk posture was assigned numerical stress index depending upon its discomfort rating, which was defined as the ratio of discomfort of a posture to that of its neutral posture. Four qualitative action categories for the stress index were also provided in order to enable practitioners to apply corrective actions appropriately. The proposed scheme is expected to be applied to several field areas for evaluating trunk postural stresses.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.975-988
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• 2012

Although the pattern development for tight-fitting clothing has been carried out using 3D data on humans, the pattern development using 3D scan data obtained for various postures still remains an interesting subject. In this study, we have developed the 2D pattern using the 3D human body reflecting standing and cycling postures. The 3D scan data of a subject was obtained using Cyberware. 2C-AN program(Triangle simplification and the Runge-Kutta method) was used in the system to reduce the 3D scan data points and to make segmented triangular patches in a plane from 3D data. As results, surface distance and area of each body part of standing and cycling postures were also provided for the future application of the functional clothing construction. The area of center piece on the front (c.front) decreased by $106.45cm^2$(-13.08%) and that of lateral piece(s.back) on the back increased by $144.96cm^2$(18.69%) in the patterns of cycling posture. The girth of neck and waist for the cycling posture increased by 0.88cm (3.92%) and 1.56cm(4.40%) respectively, and the that of thigh decreased by 1.01cm(-2.24%). The differences between the area in the 2D pattern obtained from the 3D scan data and that in the 3D scan surface data for standing and cycling postures were very small($-10.34cm^2$(-0.32%) and $-44.33cm^2$(-1.32%)).

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2014

Objective: This study aims to develop a new desk with a built-in bookholder and desktop-mounted sliding drawer for reducing stress of seated reading postures and to analyze its effect. Background: It is general for readers to bend their back and neck when reading books on desks, which may result in high back and neck postural stress. In addition, postures using vertically layered drawers positioned at the side of users may be awkward. Method: For reducing the postural stress, a new desk with a built-in bookholder and sliding drawer was developed based on a standard of KS G 4208 for student desk. The muscle activities of reading postures on both existing and new desks were measured using EMG, in which seven male and three female college students participated. The postural stress, and musculoskeletal discomfort and ease of usage for existing and new drawers were analyzed by RULA and questionnaire survey, respectively. Results: Compared to existing desk, the muscle activity for the new desk with a bookholder was reduced by 47% when reading books. In addition, musculoskeletal discomforts in the shoulder, neck and low back were significantly lower when using the new desk with a bookholder. Although the stresses for postures using the desktop-mounted sliding drawer and general drawer were not significantly different, the questionnaire survey revealed that the new desktop-mounted sliding drawer is easier to use. Conclusion: A new desk developed in this study significantly reduced postural stress and enhanced subjective preference when reading. Application: This would be useful when developing new desks with low postural stress.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2014

Objective: The present study is intended to objectively classify upper- & lower-body sitting strategies and identify the effects of gender and OPL type on the sitting strategies. Background: A sitting strategy which statistically represents comfortable driving posture can be used as a reference posture of a humanoid in virtual design and evaluation of a driver's seat. Although previous research has classified sitting strategies for driving postures in various occupant package layout (OPL) types, the existing classification methods are not objective and the factors affecting sitting strategies have not been identified. Method: Forty drivers' preferred driving postures in three different OPL types (coupe, sedan, and SUV) were measured by a motion capture system. Next, the measured driving postures were classified by K-means cluster method. Results: Sitting strategies of upper-body were classified as erect (33%), slouched (41%), and reclined (26%) postures, and those of lower-body were classified as knee bent (42%), knee extended (32%), and upper-leg lifted (26%) postures. Significant differences at ${\alpha}$ = 0.05 in the upper-body sitting strategy by gender and lower-body sitting strategy by OPL type were found. Application: Both the classified sitting strategies and the identified factors would be of use in ergonomic seat design and evaluation.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.145-152
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this study is to develop an ergonomic office chair that has an alarm function for the unbalanced sitting postures. Background: Contrary to expectation, it is reported that office workers sit on their chairs much more in unbalanced postures during daily work. Even though an office worker uses an ergonomically good-designed chair and begins their work in a good sitting posture, his/her posture is likely to shift to the unbalanced bad posture. Therefore, a posture alarm system would be very helpful in keeping office workers' good postures. Method: We developed a prototype chair with four load cells under a seat pan and one load cell beneath a backrest. Through some experiments, we set the criteria for unbalanced bad postures then implemented the criteria into the alarm system of the prototype chair. The chair called e-BASE chair could detect unbalance postures and show alarms for chair users. We also enhanced back support by developing a step-wised folding backrest. Results: The e-BASE chair showed better performance in interface pressure distributions and balanced posture ratio in VDT work. Conclusion: The ergonomic chair with posture alarm function(e-BASE chair) was developed. It showed better performance in seat pressure distribution and in keeping good posture during office work. Application: The posture alarm system and folding backrest can be applied to the new models of office chair.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.11-19
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the activity of the transverse abdominal muscle resulting from changed posture by measuring the thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle in a supine posture, a slouched sitting posture, and an erect sitting posture. The subjects of the study were 28 patients with cerebral palsy. All their transverse abdominal muscles at the end of inhalation were measured at supine, slouched sitting (S sitting) and erect sitting (E sitting) postures by using ultrasonography, and then their dynamic sitting balance was measured at S sitting and E sitting postures by using BioRescue. For the statistical analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to compare the differences among each the postures. The results were as follows. The thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle when comparing the supine posture and the S sitting posture showed no statistically significant difference. But the E sitting posture showed a statistically significant difference as compared with the others. In addition, the dynamic sitting balance in comparing the S sitting and E sitting postures showed a significant difference. In conclusion, the E sitting posture has a more positive effect on postural control and balance than generally taking the S sitting posture, for the sitting posture of a patient with cerebral palsy. It is suggested that patients with cerebral palsy mainly experiencing a sedentary life or being in a wheelchair should be seated in the E sitting posture during their daily life, and it may be necessary to continue to monitor and manage the proper E sitting posture.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.189-206
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• 1999

This study was performed to investigate the factors affecting muscle activity and cephalometric variables according to change of head postures. For this study, 150 patients with temporomandibular disorders and 80 dental students without any signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders were selected as the patients group and as the normal group, respectively. Head position to body-midline in frontal plane and upper quarter posture to body plumb line in sagittal plane were observed clinically and electromyographic(EMG) activity of anterior temporalis, masseter, sternocleidomastoideus, and trapezius on clenching were recorded with $BioEMG^{(R)}$ in four head postures, which were natural head posture(NHP), forward head posture(FHP), $20^{\circ}$ upward head posture(UHP), and $20^{\circ}$ downward head posture(DHP). Cephaloradiographs were also taken in the same head postures as in EMG taking, but that was taken only in NHP for the patient group. Cephalometric variables measured were SN angle, CVT angle, atlas inclination angle, occlusal plane angle, Me-C2 angle, pharyngeal width, occiput~axis distance, area of pharyngeal space, and cervical curvature. The data were analyzed by SAS statistical program. The results of this study were as follows : 1. Between the patient and the normal group, there were significant difference in distance from plumb line to acromion, eye-tragus angle, electromyographic activity of the four muscles, and cephalometric variables of linear measurement. 2. There was no consistent pattern of correlation between upper quarter posture, EMG activity and cephalometric variables in any case without relation to cervical curvature and head position in frontal plane. 3. Sternocleidomastoid muscle only showed variation of electromyographic activty with changes of head postures, but all the muscles did show correlation with head postures. 4. All the cephalometric variables measured in this study showed difference of mean value by head posture, and CVT angle, pharyngeal width, occiput-atlas distance, and area of pharyngeal space showed correlation between these variables with change from NHP to FHP, and from NHP to UHP.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.71-78
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• 2011

The aim of study was to reduce risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders, and prevent it according to evaluation and analysis of its symptoms survey, and work postures which doing much frequently. This study was conducted by 64 firefighters. It was surveyed physical burden levels, distribution of musculoskeletal symptoms, and analized work postures by using ergonomics tools, such as Rapid Entire Body Assesment(REBA), Rapid Upper Lim Assessment(RULA), NIOSH Lifting Equation(NLE). Physical burden levels, and distribution of musculoskeletal symptoms were surveyed according to frequency analysis, and the analysis of above tools were presented figures and scores. The all the results of REBA were that risk level was "High", action level was "Need soon" and the results of RULA were "The results are required detailed survey and immediate improvement" at Require rescue person handling, fire hose, hybraulic rescue equipment, universal axe work postures. The occurrence possibility of musculoskeletal disorders of fire fighters is quite high due to instability postures, excessive physical work and so on. Thus, making various efforts to prevent disorders, and improving working environment is necessary continuously.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.69-74
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• 2011

Despite most of tasks in manufacturing, construction and agriculture, etc., were currently mechanized and automated, manual materials handling still existed in atypical working condition. In case of manual materials handling, repetitive work, inappropriate working posture, excessive force, contact stress might cause overload, which could lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders and low back pains. On this basis, the goal of this study is to reveal the effects of various lifting postures of trunk angles and lower extremity postures on maximum holding time(MHT). Twenty two subjects were recruited from a university population. The experiment was designed by a combination of three trunk angle ($0^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$) and three lower extremity postures(straight, bent, kneeling). Before experimental trials, subjects performed MVC(maximum voluntary contraction) exertions in three trunk angles ($0^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$) to calculate 30%MVC at designated postures. In each trial, they were required to hold the handheld load(30%MVC) for a designated posture as long as they could. The results of MVC by trunk angles were measured in $0^{\circ}$ > $20^{\circ}$ > $60^{\circ}$ orders, but those of MHT measured in $20^{\circ}$ > $0^{\circ}$ > $60^{\circ}$ orders. These results showed that straight posture is the ideal working posture in work exerted a strong force for a short time, but the ability to work might be improved in the trunk angle $20^{\circ}$ in work required 30%MVC for a long time. Also, results of MVC and MHT by lower extremity postures measured in straight > bent > kneeling orders.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2016

Background: Prolonged sitting leads to low back discomfort and lumbopelvic muscle fatigue. This study examined the characteristics of body perceived discomfort and trunk muscle fatigue during 1 hour of sitting in three postures in office workers. Methods: Thirty workers sat for 1 hour in one of three sitting postures (i.e., upright, slumped, and forward leaning postures). Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale at the beginning and after 1 hour of sitting. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from superficial lumbar multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, internal oblique (IO)/transversus abdominis (TrA), and rectus abdominis muscles during 1 hour of sitting. The median frequency (MDF) of the EMG power spectrum was calculated. Results: Regardless of the sitting posture, the Body Perceived Discomfort scores in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock significantly increased after 1 hour of sitting compared with baseline values ($t_{(9)}=-11.97$ to -2.69, p < 0.05). The MDF value of the EMG signal of rectus abdominis, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, and multifidus muscles was unchanged over time in all three sitting postures. Only the right and left IO/TrA in the slumped sitting posture was significantly associated with decreased MDF over time (p = 0.019 to 0.041). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting led to increased body discomfort in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock. No sign of trunk muscle fatigue was detected over 1 hour of sitting in the upright and forward leaning postures. Prolonged slumped sitting may relate to IO/TrA muscle fatigue, which may compromise the stability of the spine, making it susceptible to injury.