Major health risk factors in Iranian hand-woven carpet industry.
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This paper reviews the role and importance of small-scale industries together with the issue of occupational health problems and their causes in Iranian hand-woven carpet industry as a typical informal small-scale industry in an industrially developing country. The objective of this paper is to review health risk factors and related occupational health and ergonomic problems in the carpet industry. Since the overwhelming majority of weavers' health problems originate from ergonomic risk factors, it is concluded that any improvement program in this industry should focus on ergonomic aspects. To assess ergonomic conditions in weaving workshops, a checklist has been developed and an ergonomics index indicating the ergonomic conditions of the workshop has been proposed. To test and verify the checklist, 50 weaving workshops were visited and their ergonomic conditions were assessed. Based on the results some modifications were made and the checklist was shown to be an effective tool. (+info)
Aneurysm of the femoral artery occupationally exposed to a vibratory tool for more than 10 years.
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The first case of an aneurysm of the femoral artery occupationally exposed to a vibratory tool is described. A 72-year-old man with a right common femoral artery aneurysm had had an occupational history of putting a "breaker," which breaks concrete into pieces by means of powerful vibration, on the right groin for more than 10 years. The patient underwent aneurysmectomy and graft replacement, with reconstruction of the deep femoral artery. Pathologic examination of the resected aneurysm revealed fibrosis and lipid deposition in the intima, well-maintained elastic fibers without disruption in the media, and thickened adventitia, in place of the typical findings of atherosclerosis. (+info)
Adaptation to lengthening contraction-induced injury in mouse muscle.
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Adaptations to repeated bouts of injury-inducing lengthening contractions were studied in mouse anterior crural muscles. Five bouts of 150 lengthening contractions were performed in vivo, with each bout separated by 2 wk of rest. Three primary observations were made. First, there was little, if any, attenuation in the immediate isometric torque losses after lengthening contractions at "physiological" stimulation frequencies (i.e., <125 Hz), although there was a pronounced decrease in torque loss at higher frequencies between the first and second bouts. Second, the immediate losses in strength that occurred after all five lengthening contraction bouts could be explained in part by excitation-contraction uncoupling. Third, the most important adaptation was a significant enhancement in the rate of recovery of strength after the lengthening contractions. It is probable that the accelerated rate of strength recovery resulted from the more rapid loss and subsequent recovery of myofibrillar protein observed after the fifth bout. (+info)
Ergonomic analysis to characterize task constraint and repetitiveness as risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in telecommunication office work.
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A modified activity analysis procedure was devised to quantify the presence of two task attributes identified in previous research as contributing to an increase in work demands and ergonomic hazards. The purpose of this study was to develop an exposure index based on the presence of two task attributes. The utility of this job activity analysis will, of course, be determined by the extent to which workers with varying degrees of muscular pain and discomfort correspond to the risk exposure group we have described. The results of both the medical and psychological assessments of the workers--contained in the final HETA report--will be used to assess the utility of our method and determine whether the task attributes of constraint and repetitiveness contribute to the onset of cumulative trauma disorders among clerical workers. (+info)
Mechanical injury and psychosocial factors in the work place predict the onset of widespread body pain: a two-year prospective study among cohorts of newly employed workers.
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OBJECTIVE: Mechanical injury has been postulated as a risk factor for widespread pain, although to date, the evidence is weak. The aim of this study was to determine whether repeated exposure to mechanical trauma in the work place predicts the onset of widespread pain and to determine the relative contribution of mechanical trauma compared with psychosocial factors. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study of 1,081 newly employed subjects in 12 diverse occupational settings, we collected detailed information on mechanical exposure, posture, physical environment, and psychosocial risk factors in the work place. Study questionnaires were completed at baseline and at 12 and 24 months. Individuals free of widespread pain at baseline and 12 months were eligible for followup. Generalized estimating equations were used to determine which factors predicted the new onset of widespread pain. RESULTS: Of the 1,081 baseline respondents, 896 were free of widespread pain and were eligible for further study. Of these 896 subjects, 708 and 520 responded at 12 months and 24 months, respectively. The rates of new-onset widespread pain were 15% at 12 months and 12% at 24 months. Several work place mechanical and posture exposures predicted the new onset of widespread pain: lifting >15 lbs with 1 hand, lifting >24 lbs with 2 hands, pulling >56 lbs, prolonged squatting, and prolonged working with hands at or above shoulder level. Of the psychosocial exposures, those who reported low job satisfaction, low social support, and monotonous work had an increased risk of new-onset widespread pain. In multivariate analysis, monotonous work and low social support were found to be the strongest independent predictors of symptom onset. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that the prevalence of new-onset widespread pain was high, but among this young, newly employed work force, both physical and psychosocial factors played an important role. (+info)
Epidemiology of injuries in adventure racing athletes.
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OBJECTIVES: To assess the demographics and training characteristics of adventure racing athletes in the United Kingdom, the prevalence and anatomical distribution of hazardous encounter, and overuse injury in this population, and the effects these injuries have on training. METHODS: A retrospective training and injury questionnaire for the previous 18 months was distributed to 300 adventure racing athletes at two national race meetings. The definition of an injury was "any musculoskeletal problem causing a stop in training for at least one day, reduction in training mileage, taking of medicine, or seeking of medical aid." RESULTS: The data were derived from the responses of 223 athletes. Advanced level athletes did 11 (4) sessions and 17 (8) hours of training a week (mean (SD)). An injury was reported in the previous 18 months by 73% of the respondents. The most common site of acute injury was the ankle (23%) and of chronic/overuse injury, the knee (30%), followed by the lower back, shin, and Achilles tendon (12% each). There were significant correlations (p<0.01) between the hours spent cycling per week and number of acute injuries, and between the number of days off per week and number of chronic/overuse injuries. Injuries resulted in an average of 23 days training cessation or reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Acute injuries were sustained mainly as a result of the nature of the terrain over which athletes train and compete. In overuse injuries lack of adequate rest days was a significant contributing factor. Only a small proportion of training time was spent developing flexibility and core stability. (+info)
Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in dentists.
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BACKGROUND: The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints in dentists is high although relatively few studies had focus in this profession. The aim of this study was to investigate the relations between physical, psychosocial, and individual characteristics and different endpoints of musculoskeletal complaints of low back, neck, shoulders and hand/wrist. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was carried out among 430 dentists (response 88%) in Thessaloniki, Greece. Questions include data on physical and psychosocial workload, need for recovery, perceived general health and (i) the occurrence of musculoskeletal complaints in the past 12 months, (ii) chronic complaints during at least 1 month, complaints which led to (iii) sickness absence, and (iv) medical care seeking. In logistic regression analysis odds ratios were estimated for all relevant risk factors. RESULTS: 62% of dentists reported at least one musculoskeletal complaint, 30% chronic complaints, 16% had spells of absence and, 32% sought medical care. Self-reported factors of physical load were associated with the occurrence of back pain (OR = 1.59), shoulder pain (OR = 2.57) and, hand/wrist pain (OR = 3.46). With the exception of hand/wrist complaints, the physical factors were not associated with chronic complaints and musculoskeletal sickness absence. Physical load showed a trend with the number of musculoskeletal complaints with ORs of 2.50, 3.07 and 4.40 for two, three and four musculoskeletal complaints, respectively. No consistent influence of psychosocial factors on complaints, chronicity, sickness absence and medical care seeking was observed. A perceived moderate general health was a significant factor for chronic complaints, comorbidity and medical care seeking where high perceived exertion was significant for absenteeism. Living alone was also related with increased absenteeism due to shoulder pain (OR = 5.01) and hand/wrist (OR = 4.07). CONCLUSIONS: The physical load among dentists seems to put them at risk for the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. More than one and severe complaints are related to perceived general health while high perceived exertion and social characteristics are associated with sickness absence. Chronic symptoms seem to determine medical care seeking. Ergonomic interventions may have a greater impact in prevention of hand/wrist complaints. When investigating the influence of work-related risk factors on musculoskeletal health, psychosocial and other personal characteristics should be taken into account. (+info)
Incidence of ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow in repetitive work.
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OBJECTIVES: Despite the high frequency of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, the relation between work conditions and ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow has not been the object of much research. In the present study, the predictive factors for such ulnar nerve entrapment were determined in a 3-year prospective survey of upper-limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders in repetitive work. METHODS: In 1993-1994 and 3 years later, 598 workers whose jobs involved repetitive work underwent an examination by their occupational health physicians and completed a self-administered questionnaire. Predictive factors associated with the onset of ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow were studied with bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The annual incidence was estimated at 0.8% per person-year, on the basis of 15 new cases during the 3-year period. Holding a tool in position was the only predictive biomechanical factor [odds ratio (OR) 4.1, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.4-12.0]. Obesity increased the risk of ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.2-16.2), as did the presence of medial epicondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, radial tunnel syndrome, and cervicobrachial neuralgia. The associations with "holding a tool in position" and obesity were unchanged when the presence of other diagnoses was taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations of the study, the results suggest that the incidence of ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow is associated with one biomechanical risk factor (holding a tool in position, repetitively), overweight, and other upper-limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders, especially medial epicondylitis and other nerve entrapment disorders (cervicobrachial neuralgia and carpal and radial tunnel syndromes). (+info)