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Sex differences in muscular load among house painters performing identical work tasks

European Journal of Applied Physiology volume 114, pages 1901–1911 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

The present study aimed to estimate possible differences in upper body muscular load between male and female house painters performing identical work tasks. Sex-related differences in muscular load may help explain why women, in general, have more musculoskeletal complaints than men.

Methods

In a laboratory setting, 16 male and 16 female house painters performed nine standardised work tasks common to house painters. Unilateral electromyography (EMG) recordings were obtained from the supraspinatus muscle by intramuscular electrodes and from the trapezius, extensor and flexor carpi radialis muscles by surface electrodes. Relative muscular loads in %EMGmax as well as exerted force in Newton, based on ramp calibrations, were assessed. Sex differences were tested using a mixed model approach.

Results

Women worked at about 50 % higher relative muscular loads than men in the supraspinatus and forearm muscles at all percentiles and in all tasks. Women exerted about 30 % less force in the trapezius muscle at the 50th percentile.

Conclusions

Female house painters had a higher relative muscular load than their male colleagues without exerting more force. The effects of a higher relative muscular load accumulated over years of work may in part explain why musculoskeletal complaints in the upper body occur more frequently among women than men.

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Abbreviations

APDF:

Amplitude probability distribution function

EMG:

Electromyography

EMGmax :

Maximum EMG amplitude

CI:

Confidence interval

MSD:

Musculoskeletal disorders

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contraction

P10:

10 % percentile

P50:

50 % percentile

P90:

90 % percentile

SD:

Standard deviation

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Acknowledgments

The present study was supported by grants from The Danish Rheumatism Association and The Danish Working Environment Research Fund. The authors wish to thank co-workers at The University Hospital in Lund and Bispebjerg University Hospital, especially student Hatice Yilmaz for assistance during data collection and Jacob Louis Marott for statistical guidance. Also the collaboration of the Painters’ Union in Denmark is highly appreciated.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jacob Meyland, Thomas Heilskov-Hansen, Sigurd Mikkelsen & Jane Frølund Thomsen

  2. Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Tine Alkjær, Henrik Koblauch & Erik B. Simonsen

  3. Danish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Occupational Medicine, Regional Hospital West Jutland–University Research Clinic, Herning, Denmark

    Susanne Wulff Svendsen

  4. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Gert-Åke Hansson

  5. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University and Regional Laboratories Region Scania, Lund, Sweden

    Gert-Åke Hansson

Authors
  1. Jacob Meyland
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  2. Thomas Heilskov-Hansen
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  3. Tine Alkjær
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  4. Henrik Koblauch
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  5. Sigurd Mikkelsen
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  6. Susanne Wulff Svendsen
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  7. Jane Frølund Thomsen
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  8. Gert-Åke Hansson
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  9. Erik B. Simonsen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jacob Meyland.

Additional information

Communicated by Peter Krustrup.

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Meyland, J., Heilskov-Hansen, T., Alkjær, T. et al. Sex differences in muscular load among house painters performing identical work tasks. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1901–1911 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2918-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2918-6

Keywords

  • Electromyography
  • EMG
  • Surface EMG
  • Intramuscular EMG
  • Force
  • Upper extremity
  • Musculoskeletal complaints
  • Occupational medicine