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Evaluation of loads imposed on muscles and joints by repeated vacuum cleaning works for estimation of a potentiality of musculo-skeletal disorder occurrence

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Abstract

The excessive accumulation of physical burden is known widely as one of the main factors underlying musculoskeletal disorders in the working population. The current study was performed to evaluate the loads imposed on the muscles and joints by excessive accumulation of physical burdens for the estimation of a potentiality of musculoskeletal disorder occurrence, particularly in vacuum cleaning works, the motions most commonly performed both at home and in industry. A survey, rapid entire body assessment, and experimental/virtual three-dimensional motion analysis were performed. The results showed that latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscle strengths and elbow and shoulder joint moments were generally higher than other muscle strengths and joint moments generated during cleaning works. In addition, motions required cleaning in corners and in hard-to-reach areas generally required more muscle strengths and joint moments than other motions. These findings may be used in improvement of vacuum cleaner (a device to clean up dust and dirt usually from floors) design reducing a potentiality of musculoskeletal disorder occurrence due to repeated cleaning works, through consideration of a methodology capable of decreasing the loads imposed on the muscles and joints by repeated cleaning works. The findings can be also expanded to improvement of working environments in which pushing and pulling works (cleaning works mainly included pushing and pulling motions) frequently occur, to reduce a potentiality of musculoskeletal disorder occurrence due to pushing and pulling works.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea, 143-747

    Dohyung Lim

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Research Institute for Medical Instruments & Rehabilitation Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon, Korea, 220-842

    Young-Kuen Cho, Sung Jae Hwang, Paul Han, Dae Gon Woo, Young Ho Kim, Tae Min Shin & Han Sung Kim

  3. Gerontechnology Center, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Cheonan, Chungnam, Korea, 331-825

    Hyun Ho Choi

  4. Research Laboratory Living Group, Digital Appliance Company, LG Electronics, Changwon, Gyeongnam, Korea, 641-711

    Geunbae Hwang

  5. Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea, 136-791

    Jun-Uk Chu

Authors
  1. Dohyung Lim
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  2. Young-Kuen Cho
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  3. Hyun Ho Choi
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  10. Tae Min Shin
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Correspondence to Han Sung Kim.

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Dohyung Lim and Young-Kuen Cho contributed equally to this work as first author

Tae Min Shin and Han Sung Kim contributed equally to this work as corresponding author

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Lim, D., Cho, YK., Choi, H.H. et al. Evaluation of loads imposed on muscles and joints by repeated vacuum cleaning works for estimation of a potentiality of musculo-skeletal disorder occurrence. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 13, 429–438 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-012-0055-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-012-0055-x

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