Upper extremity strength: Normative reference data among uninjured employees

Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 979-991
Author(s):  
Gary Harbin ◽  
Christian Leyh ◽  
Alexander Harbin
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Reference Data ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pinch Strength ◽  
Post Injury ◽  
High Positive Correlation ◽  
Strength Data ◽  
Job Level ◽  
Physical Job Demands

BACKGROUND: Extremity strength testing is used to determine the ability of industrial employees to perform a physically demanding occupation safely, evaluate post-injury impairment, and monitor return to function after injury. There is an unmet clinical need for a robust and granular source of normative reference values to serve as a resource for baseline data on upper extremity isometric strength. OBJECTIVE: Develop normative reference data for upper extremity strength among industrial employees and investigate associations between strength and physical job demands. METHODS: Upper extremity strength data from 107,102 industrial employees were collected post-hire. In this study, isometric tests for pinch; hand grip; wrist pronation and supination; and flexion of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder strength were retrospectively analyzed in relationship to sex, age, and job level. Associations between strength scores and five levels of work, defined the United States Department of Labor’s Dictionary of Occupational Titles by level of physical difficulty (1–5), were determined. RESULTS: Higher strength scores were positively associated with more physically demanding job levels (P < 0.001), and there was a progressive increase in strength scores with increased physical job demands for both sexes (P = 0.0002). All strength scores differed significantly by decade of age (P < 0.001). All scores except for pinch strength demonstrated a moderate or high positive correlation with job level (r≥0.50). CONCLUSIONS: The normative reference upper extremity strength data collected in this study for industrial employees may be useful for evaluating rehabilitation and recovery following injury or illness. In order to utilize normalized strength data as a post-injury reference, it is important to consider job level in addition to age and sex, as these variables are highly correlated with baseline upper extremity strength.

Work Schedule, Needle Use, and Needlestick Injuries Among Registered Nurses

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison M. Trinkoff ◽  
Rong Le ◽  
Jeanne Geiger-Brown ◽  
Jane Lipscomb
Keyword(s):  
Registered Nurses ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
The United States ◽  
Needlestick Injury ◽  
Needlestick Injuries ◽  
History Of ◽  
Extended Work ◽  
Physical Job Demands

Objective.To examine the association between working conditions and needlestick injury among registered nurses. We also describe needle use and needlestick injuries according to nursing position, workplace, and specialty.Design.Three-wave longitudinal survey conducted between November 2002 and April 2004.Setting and Participants.A probability sample of 2,624 actively licensed registered nurses from 2 states in the United States. Follow-up rates for waves 2 and 3 were 85% and 86%, respectively. Respondents who had worked as a nurse during the past year (n = 2,273) prior to wave 1 were included in this analysis.Results.Of the nurses, 15.6% reported a history of needlestick injury in the year before wave 1, and the cumulative incidence by wave 3 was 16.3%. The estimated number of needles used per day was significantly related to the odds of sustaining a needlestick injury. Hours worked per day, weekends worked per month, working other than day shifts, and working 13 or more hours per day at least once a week were each significantly associated with needlestick injuries. A factor combining these variables was significantly associated with needlestick injuries even after adjustment for job demands, although this association was somewhat explained by physical job demands.Conclusions.Despite advances in protecting workers from needlestick injuries, extended work schedules and their concomitant physical demands are still contributing to the occurrence of injuries and illnesses to nurses. Such working conditions, if modified, could lead to further reductions in needlestick injuries.

scholarly journals Changes in autonomy, job demands and working hours after diagnosis of chronic disease: a comparison of employed and self-employed older persons using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 951-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fleischmann ◽  
Ewan Carr ◽  
Baowen Xue ◽  
Paola Zaninotto ◽  
Stephen A Stansfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Chronically Ill ◽  
The Self ◽  
English Longitudinal Study ◽  
Physical Job Demands

BackgroundModifications in working conditions can accommodate changing needs of chronically ill persons. The self-employed may have more possibilities than employees to modify their working conditions. We investigate how working conditions change following diagnosis of chronic disease for employed and self-employed older persons.MethodsWe used waves 2–7 from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We included 1389 participants aged 50–60 years who reported no chronic disease at baseline. Using fixed-effects linear regression analysis, we investigated how autonomy, physical and psychosocial job demands and working hours changed following diagnosis of chronic disease.ResultsFor employees, on diagnosis of chronic disease autonomy marginally decreased (−0.10, 95% CI −0.20 to 0.00) and physical job demands significantly increased (0.13, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.25), whereas for the self-employed autonomy did not significantly change and physical job demands decreased on diagnosis of chronic disease (−0.36, 95% CI −0.64 to –0.07), compared with prediagnosis levels. Psychosocial job demands did not change on diagnosis of chronic disease for employees or the self-employed. Working hours did not change for employees, but dropped for self-employed (although non-significantly) by about 2.8 hours on diagnosis of chronic disease (−2.78, 95% CI −6.03 to 0.48).ConclusionImprovements in working conditions after diagnosis of chronic disease were restricted to the self-employed. This could suggest that workplace adjustments are necessary after diagnosis of chronic disease, but that the self-employed are more likely to realise these. Policy seeking to extend working life should consider work(place) adjustments for chronically ill workers as a means to prevent early exit from work.

Upper-Extremity Prostheses: A Renewed Approach

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alwyn P. Johnson ◽  
Bradley Veatch
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Galvanic Corrosion ◽  
The United States ◽  
Manufacturing Cost ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Axial Loads ◽  
Manufacturing Costs ◽  
Ongoing Development ◽  
Universal Interface ◽  
And Function

Upper-extremity (UE) prostheses are increasingly more functional and proportionately more costly, rendering them largely unattainable for impoverished amputees in the United States (US) and abroad. Recognizing the increasing need for appropriate devices, PhysioNetics, LLC is developing a heavy-duty, transradial body-powered (BP) UE prosthesis which can be prescribed with minimal instruction. The design of the key components, the split-hook terminal device [TD] and universal adjustable interface is presented in this paper. The TD is primarily fabricated from plastics to eliminate galvanic corrosion in saltwater environments, weighs 5.4 oz (153 g) and uses inexpensive rubber bands to generate pinch force. Unique gripping contours provide versatile grasp and replicate five (5) prehension patterns while six (6) discrete force settings provide 2 – 17 lbf (8.9 – 76 N) of pinch. Three (3) universal interface sizes (small, medium, and large) accommodate most amputees and comfortably support axial loads up to 40 lbf (178 N). Estimated manufacturing cost for a complete unit is less than US$250. Field testers report lower but comparable comfort to their individually custom-fabricated interfaces, and are highly satisfied with fit and function of the prosthesis overall. Ongoing development includes reduction of manufacturing costs, increasing interface comfort and implementing task-specific variant designs.

The Epidemiology of Upper Extremity Fractures in the United States, 2009

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. e242-e244 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Karl ◽  
Patrick R. Olson ◽  
Melvin P. Rosenwasser
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
The United States

Robotic Table and Serious Games for Integrative Rehabilitation Early Post-Stroke: Two Case Reports (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grigore Burdea ◽  
Nam H. Kim ◽  
Kevin Polistico ◽  
Ashwin Kadaru ◽  
Namrata Grampurohit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Upper Extremities ◽  
Pinch Strength ◽  
Robotic Rehabilitation ◽  
Standardized Measures ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Active Flexion ◽  
Rehabilitation System

BACKGROUND BrightArm Compact is a new rehabilitation system for upper extremities. It provides bimanual training with gradated gravity loading and mediates interactions with serious games. OBJECTIVE To design and test a robotic rehabilitation table-based virtual rehabilitation system for training upper extremities early post-stroke. METHODS A new robotic rehabilitation table, controllers and adaptive games were developed. Participants underwent 12 experimental sessions in addition to the standard of care. Standardized measures of upper extremity motor impairment and function, depression severity, and cognitive function were administered pre- and post-intervention. Non-standardized measures included game variables and subjective evaluations. RESULTS Two case study participants attained high total arm repetitions per session (504 and 957, respectively), and achieved high grasp and finger extension counts. Training intensity contributed to marked improvements in affected arm shoulder strength (225% and 100%, respectively), grasp strength (27% and 16% increase), 3-finger pinch strength (31% and 15% increase). Shoulder active flexion range increased 17% and 18%, respectively, and elbow active supination was larger by 75% and 58%, respectively. Improvements in motor function were at/above Minimal Clinically Important Difference for Fugl-Meyer Assessment (11 and 10 points), Chedoke Inventory (11 and 14 points) and Upper Extremity Functional Index (19 and 23 points). Cognitive/emotive outcomes were mixed. CONCLUSIONS The design of the robotic rehabilitation table was successfully tested on two participants early post-stroke. Results are encouraging. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04252170

Anthropometry and Strength Characteristics of Low Coal Miners with Respect to Sex and Age

1980 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 434-437
Author(s):  
S.J. Morrissey ◽  
C.L. Burford ◽  
K. Caddel ◽  
M.M. Ayoub
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Reference Population ◽  
The United States ◽  
Isometric Strength ◽  
Coal Miners ◽  
Anthropometric Measures ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Strength Data ◽  
Lower Back ◽  
Body Circumferences

A battery of general anthropometric measures and selected isometric strength measures have been made on a sample of male and female low coal miners in the United States (low coal refers to coal mines in which the coal seam and, thus, tunnel heights are less than 48 inches). In comparison to selected military and civilian anthropometric surveys, both the male and female low coal miners showed significantly greater body circumferences on similar measures. Analysis of the isometric strength data showed both the male and female low coal miners to have significantly lower back strengths than a reference industrial population. Male miners had significantly greater standing leg strengths than the reference population. These differences can be attributed to the occupational and postural demands present in low coal mining.

Psychological and physical job demands, decision latitude, and work-related social support among Iranian waste collectors

2019 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
pp. 377-387
Author(s):  
Mansour Ziaei ◽  
Alireza Choobineh ◽  
Mohammad Abdoli-Eramaki ◽  
Haleh Ghaem ◽  
Omid Jaberi
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Decision Latitude ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Physical Job Demands
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