Skip to main content
Log in

Muscle strength and aerobic capacity in a representative sample of employees with and without repetitive monotonous work

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives The purpose of the study was to determine a possible association between the type of work individuals perform and his or her physical capacity. There was focus on whether workers performing repetitive monotonous work differ from workers with varied work tasks with respect to the physical capacity. Methods: Maximal backward extension and forward flexion torques of the trunk, maximal shoulder elevation and abduction torques, handgrip strength and aerobic capacity were measured on 423 (213 male and 210 female) Danish employees with a mean age of 40 years. Half of the group had varied work and the other half had repetitive monotonous work. Results: The main finding was that there is no difference in the measured physical capacities between employees with repetitive monotonous work and those compared with workers with varied work tasks. Conclusions: No difference in the physical capacities measured in the two groups of employees was found. Reasons for this are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  • Åstrand I (1960) Aerobic work capacity in men and women with special reference to age. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl 49:1–92

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Åstrand P-O, Ryhming I (1954) A nomogram for calculation of aerobic capacity (physical fitness) from pulse rate during submaximal work. J Appl Physiol 7:218–221

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Appleyard M (eds) (1989) The copenhagen city heart study. Østerbroundersøgelsen. A book of tables with data from the first examination (1976–1978) and a five year follow-up (1981–1983). Scand J Soc Med 41:1–160

  • Asmussen E, Heebøll-Nielsen K (1961) Isometric muscle strength of adult men and women. Comm Nat Ass Infant Paral 11:3–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Asmussen E, Heebøll-Nielsen K, Molbech S (1959) Methods for evaluation of muscle strength. Comm Nat Ass Infant Paral 3–13

  • Bäckman E, Johansson V, Häger B, Sjöblom P, Henriksson KG (1995) Isometric muscle strength and muscular endurance in normal persons aged between 17 and 70 years. Scand J Rehabil Med 27:109–117

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Biering-Sørensen F (1984) Physical measurements as risk indicators for low-back trouble over a one-year period. Spine 9:106–119

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Borg V, Burr H (1997) In: Borg V, Burr H (eds) Danske lønmodtageres arbejdsmiljø og helbred 1990–1995, 1st edn. Arbejdsmiljøinstituttet, København

  • Burr H, Bjorner JB, Kristensen TS, Tüchsen F, Bach E (2003) Trends in the Danish work environment in 1990–2000 and their associations with labor-force changes. Scand J Work Environ Health 29:270–279

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Era P, Lyyra AL, Viitasalo JT, Heikkinen E (1992) Determinants of isometric muscle strength in men of different ages. Eur J Appl Physiol 64:84–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Essendrop M, Schibye B, Hansen K (2001) Reliability of isometric muscle strength tests for the trunk, hands and shoulders. Int J Ind Eng 28:379–387

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feveile H, Jensen C, Burr H (2002) Risk factors for neck-shoulder and wrist-hand symptoms in a 5-year follow-up study of 3,990 employees in Denmark. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 75:243–251

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen BR, Schibye B, Søgaard K, Simonsen EB, Sjøgaard G (1993) Shoulder muscle load and muscle fatigue among industrial sewing-machine operators. Eur J Appl Physiol 67:467–475

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karlqvist L, Leijon O, Härenstam A (2003) Physical demands in working life and individual physical capacity. Eur J Appl Physiol 89:536–547

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nicolaisen T, Jørgensen K (1985) Trunk strength, back muscle endurance and low-back trouble. Scand J Rehabil Med 17:121–127

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nygård C-H, Loupajärvi T, Cedercreutz G, Ilmarinen J (1987) Musculoskeletal capacity of employees aged 44 to 58 years in physical, mental and mixed types of work. Eur J Appl Physiol 56:555–561

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nygård C-H, Luopajärvi T, Suurnäkki T, Ilmarinen J (1988a) Muscle strength and muscle endurance of middle-aged Women and men associated to type, duration and intensity of muscular load at work. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 60:291–297

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nygård CH, Luopajärvi T, Ilmarinen J (1988b) Musculoskeletal capacity of middle-aged women and men in physical, mental and mixed occupations. Eur J Appl Physiol 57:181–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plagenhoef S (1971) Patterns of human motion. Prentice-Hall Inc., New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruzic L, Heimer S, Misigoj-Durakovic M, Matkovic BR (2003) Increased occupational physical activity does not improve physical fitness. Occup Environ Med 60:983–985

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schibye B, Christensen H (1997) The work load during waste collection and meat cutting among workers in different age groups. Arbete och Hälsa 29:272–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Schibye B, Hansen AF, Søgaard K, Christensen H (2001) Aerobic power and muscle strength among young and elderly workers with and without demanding work tasks. Appl Ergon 32:425–431

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Søgaard K, Fallentin N, Nielsen J (1996) Work load during floor cleaning. The effect of cleaning methods and work technique. Eur J Appl Physiol 73:73–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne Faber.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Faber, A., Hansen, K. & Christensen, H. Muscle strength and aerobic capacity in a representative sample of employees with and without repetitive monotonous work. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 79, 33–41 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-005-0025-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-005-0025-z

Keywords

Navigation