• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2013

Background: Stochastic resonance whole-body vibration training (SR-WBV) was tested to reduce work-related musculoskeletal complaints. Methods: Participants were 54 white-collar employees of a Swiss organization. The controlled crossover design comprised two groups each given 4 weeks of exercise and no training during a second 4-week period. Outcome was daily musculoskeletal well-being, musculoskeletal pain, and surefootedness. In addition, participants performed a behavioral test on body balance prior to when SR-WBV started and after 4 weeks of SR-WBV. Results: Across the 4-week training period, musculoskeletal well-being and surefootedness were significantly increased (p < 0.05), whereas musculoskeletal pain was significantly reduced only in those who reported low back pain during the last 4 weeks prior to the study (p < 0.05). Body balance was significantly increased by SR-WBV (p < 0.05). Conclusion: SR-WBV seems to be an efficient option in primary prevention of musculoskeletal complaints and falls at work.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate occupational distribution of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients and their diagnosis according to occupations and to evaluate the relationship between TMD and occupations. Work-related factors which might aggravate TMD symptoms were also evaluated. Methods: We investigated 316 TMD patients, aged from 13 to 65 years old, who had visited the Department of Oral Medicine in Pusan National University Dental Hospital. The subjects who have a job were assessed using TMD analysis examination and occupation questionnaire. The level of significance was p-value<0.05. Result: This study presented that the diagnoses according to occupations were not significant, but work-related factors such as verbal work and poor posture were related with TMD symptoms. Conclusions: Proper education is essential to prevent aggravation of TMD symptoms because TMD symptoms were more related to work environment than a specific occupation.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.19-23
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of the present study was to describe the prevalence and causes of occurrence on work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) in physical therapist. Methods : Self-administered questionnaires were distributed by mail to 100 physical therapists in Daegu city. 85 of the questionnaires were returned and 80 of them except 5 unclearly answered ones were analyzed. Results : They felt the pain at shoulders(80%), lower back(74%), wrists(71%), neck(70%), elbow(48%), finger(40%). The major causes of the pain were "repeating the same job constantly(93%)," and "bending wrists too much and doing things that require excessive strength(90%)." It was significant different more Exercise therapist than modality therapist. Conclusion : We suggest that physical therapist for exercise therapy need the development and applies of various program for prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.123-149
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• 1991

This study has been attempted to be helpful for the back rehabilization of Korean workers by analyzing the general, occupational, social aspects of low back pain and to identify possible risk factors for back pain in White and Blue collar workers. The primary data were collected from 380 workers in Seoul city by means of a Questionnaire with random which was distributed from March 10 to 31, 1990. For the test of statistical significance, chi-square analysis was used to compare the back pain characteristics between above two groups. The results were as follows : 1. The incidence of low back pain in all walkers studied was $79.7\%$. The incidence of Blue collar with low back pain $(87.2\%)$ was higher than that of White collars $(75.0\%)$. 2. With regard to the relationship of back pain to the occupational characteristics, statistically significant differences were observed between workers with and without back pain concerning the job factors on work-time, job satisfaction, mental stress, chair fittness, work posture, work rotation, weight lifting, monotonous repetitive movements, vibration, and heavy noise (p<0.05). 3. With regard to the relationship of back pain to the social characteristics, there were no differences with respect to having car, personality types, drinking habits, and leisure-time activities. However, significant differences were showed between no pain and pain groups for the using bed, sleeping posture, traffic time amount, walking health state, smoking habits, and physical exercise (p<0.05). 4. The comparative analysis of back pain related to work factors showed highly significant differences with respect to mental stress, chair fittness, work posture, trunk rotation, weight lifting, monotonous repetitive work in White collar group (p<0.01) ; and job satisfaction, mental stress, trunk rotation, weight lifting, monotonus repetitive work, exposure to vibration and heavy noise in Blue collar group(p<0.01). 5. The comparative analysis of social factors in two groups showed differences with respect to the using bed, sleeping posture, walking amount, health state, physical exercise, smoking habits in White cellar group (p<0.05) ; and walking amount, traffic time amount, health state, smoking habits, physical exercise in Blue cellar group (p<0.05). 6. In regard to the general aspects of back pain between two groups, there were differences concerning etiolgy of back pain, counselling partners, treatment types, and sick-leaves(p<0.05), except pain duration, and awareness of back pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.515-524
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• 2012

PURPOSE: It is known that work stress was linked to WRMDs in workplace. The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) related to job stress among prosthetists and orthotists. METHODS: Eighty-six self-reported symptoms of discomfort (SRSD) and job stress were collected by questionnaire and analyzed. RESULTS: The results were as follows: Over 70% of respondents had WRMDs. The shoulder was the most painful region and each of "within 15 minutes", "once a week" and "severe moving or doing exercise" items were main characteristics in the SRSD. Finally, the "repetition of simple work" item in job stress ranked as resulting in "often discomfort" in over 43% of respondents. Additionally, there was a statistically significant correlation between job stress and pain intensity (p<.05, $r_s$=.36). CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to identify the factors affecting musculoskeletal symptoms and job stress of prosthetists and orthotists in Korea.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.355-363
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• 2022

This study was to investigate the prevalence rate of musculoskeletal disorders in relation to general characteristic factors, living environment factors, and work environment factors for sonographer's. For the response questions, the guidelines for musculoskeletal burden work were used. For statistical analysis, SPSS 26.0 version was used. For the common body parts of the sonographer's who responded, the prevalence was investigated by dividing the group into a group with high pain or discomfort and a group with low pain or discomfort according to the degree to which they experienced symptoms during the past 12 months. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the variance inflation factor(VIF), odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. As a result, housework hours, examination history, regular physical activity, number of patient examinations per day, and sitting posture were investigated as variables for rate musculoskeletal disorders. The sonographer's occupational group was found to have a high prevalence rate of musculoskeletal disorders like various other occupational groups. Based on the results of this study, it is judged that musculoskeletal disorders can be reduced by recognizing musculoskeletal disorders and improving work environment factors.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.243-250
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to observe office workers' postural behaviors during computer work to identify the risk factors for head and thorax postural behaviors. Methods: The participants included 57 office workers who worked longer than 20 hours on a computer. Postural behaviors during computer work were measured using 3-D wearable motion sensors on the forehead and sternum. A multivariate linear regression model evaluated the association between various risk factors (neck pain, demographics, and environmental factors) and non-head and thorax postural behaviors. Results: The participants maintained their head and thorax in neutral postures (defined as 10° extension~10° flexion and 5° extension~10° flexion, respectively) for 24.7% and 39.3% of the total recorded time. Those who reported neck pain at the measurement of postural behaviors showed less time spent in thorax postures. Current neck pain, high desk height, and the distance between the keyboard and the edge of the desk (cm) were found to be related to less time spent in a neutral thorax posture. Conclusion: Office environment factors and current neck pain might affect workers' thorax postures, which might also determine the orientation of head postures during computer work.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.192-202
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• 2018

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are accumulative disorders that are most frequently found in agricultural farmers. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that affect symptoms resulting from work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Cambodian farm workers working in fruit plantations in the eastern region of Thailand. Methods: The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment, and Hazard Zone Jobs Checklist techniques were used to interview 861 farmers who participated in the study. Results: The data showed that men who had been working for >10 years were more at risk of neck pain than those working for <1 year with adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.90, 14.5). Among women those who had been working for >10 years experienced lower back pain with aOR 8.13, 95% CI (1.04, 63.74), compared with those who had been working for <1 year. Men whose tasks required raising the arms above shoulder height had a risk factor contributing to neck pain of aOR 1.68, 95% CI (1.08, 2.61) when compared with those who did not work with this posture, and women had aOR 1.82, 95% CI (1.07, 3.12) when compared with those who did not work with this posture. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that work-related health conditions are monitored in migrant plantation workers to reduce the risks of musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.25-31
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the strength and endurance of the deep neck flexor muscles in individuals with work-related neck pain. Subjects consisted of two groups: twenty industrial workers with neck pain and twenty age-matched healthy subjects. To evaluate the strength and endurance of deep cervical flexors, maximum voluntary contractile strength (MVCS) and a sustained time at sub-maximal voluntary contractile strength (SMVCS) (80% and 50% of MVCS) were measured using a pressure biofeedback unit and a stop watch in supine. The MVCS of deep neck flexor muscles was 29.67${\pm}$4.56 in neck pain group and 54.27${\pm}$6.78㎜Hg in normal group. The sustained time at 80% SMVCS was 12.42${\pm}$2.64 seconds and 55.12${\pm}$12.76 seconds in the groups with and without neck pain. The sustained time at 50% SMVCS was 25.40±5.88 seconds and 109.70${\pm}$31.50 seconds in the groups with and without neck pain. The difference of the lower jaw position was 16.75${\pm}$3.57㎜ and 23.03${\pm}$2.51㎜. The MVCS, endurance at the two sub-maximal levels and the difference of the lower jaw position were significantly greater in the group without neck pain than with neck pain (p$<$0.05). The findings indicate that the maximal strength and endurance of the deep neck flexors were decreased in the workers with neck pain compared to those without neck pain. Therefore, it is necessary to include strengthening and endurance exercises of the deep neck flexor muscles in therapeutic program of work-related musculoskeletal disorders involving neck pain.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.567-580
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to find out how the combined exercise program has an influence on the physical recovery of the patients suffering from work-related back problems. Research objects consist of 43 patients suffering from back problems due to workplace accidents. The result of the study shows that the combined exercise program increased muscular strength and endurance significantly and worked positively in lumbar recovery of the patients. It also increased the lowered flexibility caused by back pain to the level of normal state. In addition, the program was effective on the correction of the bad pose of body and scoliosis. Moreover, it helped improve on lifting, social life and reduce in the duration and the frequency of outbreak of pain. Finally, according to the result of this study, the combined exercise program was shown to be effective and appropriate for the patients suffering from work-related back problems.