• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.145-151
• /
• 2006

The objective of this study is to investigate the perceived discomfort for postures combined with shoulder flexion/extension and elbow flexion, and external load. 12 healthy male undergraduate and graduate students participated in this experiment. Experimental variables were the shoulder flexion/extension angle(-20°, 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°), the elbow flexion angle (0°, 45°, 120°), and the external load(0, 1.5Kg, 3Kg) as independent variables and a whole body perceived discomfort using Borg's CR10 as a dependent variable. The subjects maintained the given posture for 60 seconds and then rated the perceived discomfort. The ANOVA results showed that all main factors and two-way interactions were statistically significant at α=0.05. As a result of regression analysis to examine the effect of external load on the perceived discomfort, the perceived discomfort linearly increased as the level of external load increased. Then, the effect of external load on the perceived discomfort was quantitatively classified into three levels based on the result of regression analysis.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.45-56
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study is to evaluate perceived discomfort of working postures in terms of upper body (back, shoulder, and elbow) flexions when an external load varies. Eighteen subjects participated in an experiment of appraising perceived discomfort of varying upper body postures with three levels of external loads given. The ANOVA results showed that the perceived discomfort of upper body postures was significantly affected by the external load. It was also apparent that the interactions between external load and upper body posture were significant (p< 0.001). The result implies that a new posture classification scheme for workload assessment methods may be in need to reflect such interactions between external load and upper body posture. In order to support the statement, a regression model of perceived discomfort of upper body postures obtained from the experiment was developed and compared to that of perceived discomfort of seven work-related postures found in automobile assembly operations. The correlation coefficient between predicted and actual values of perceived discomfort was about 0.96. It is expected that the result help to properly estimate the body stress resluting from worker's postures and external loads and can be used as a valuable design guideline on preventing work-related musculoskeletal diseases in industry.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.6-17
• /
• 2000

Background : This study was attempted to provide a basic information necessary for the development of measures evaluating perceived discomfort of the patients under local anesthesia and the developments of nursing intervention and nursing standard. Method : The study subjects were a convenience sample of 100 surgical patients under local anesthesia. The researcher visited the patients directly and explained the purpose of the study to them. Then they were asked to fill out questionnaires which were developed and structured by the researcher, under their prior permission. Out patient's data were collected at recovery room after operation. Results : Factor analysis on measures evaluating the patients under local anesthesia showed that the measures consisted of eight factors including "explanation", "humane treatment", "motion limitation", "pain", "no togetherness", "waiting", "the environment of operating room", and "unkindness". When analyzing each of the factors regarding their degree of contribution to perceived discomfort, it was found that "waiting" was highest in terms of the degree. According to general chara-cteristics of the sampled patients, the factor of "explanation" contributed to perceived discomfort more in male patients than female ones. Regarding parts of medical examination, the patients of otorhinolaryngology felt perceived discomfort most because of the factor of "pain". Conclusion : To relieve perceived discomfort the patients under local anesthesia require providing individually systematized nursing services which can reduce perceived discomfort according to each of the factors. In doing so, an unlimited attention and much effort should be given to realize CQI reaching the dimension of increase in comfort as well as decrease perceived discomfort.

• IE interfaces
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.197-208
• /
• 1997

In workplace design, an ergonomic solution should ensure low postural stress in the operator during his/her work. Stress caused by awkward working postures of the trunk, shoulders and legs can result in fatigue, discomfort, musculo-skeletal disorders and nerve entrapment syndromes. Since discomfort and musculo-skeletal disorders are both related to exposure to biomechanical load on the musculo-skeletal system, minimization of discomfort will contribute to reduction of the risk for musculo-skeletal disorders as well. Therefore, in this study, perceived discomfort on the human body joints was measured in the standing postures using the magnitude estimation in order to have a standardized numerical scale for joint discomfort. Nine healthy graduate students participated voluntarily in the laboratory study. The results revealed that perceived discomfort of all the joints increased as the joints deviated from neutral position. Especially, it showed drastic increment on perceived discomfort when deviation from neutral position in each human body joint increased from 75% to 100%. in terms of relative range of motion(R0M). On the basis of these experimental results, a preliminary ranking for assessment of stressfulness of non-neutral postures around the human body joints was suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.73-78
• /
• 2001

It has been proposed that the acceptable level of discomfort was a valid measure of postural loading. Although the number of women employees has increased at a much faster rate than men workers did and female workers are thought to be more vulnerable to musculoskeletal disorders, most previous studies dealt with perceived discomforts for joint motions focused on male subjects. This study aims to measure perceived discomfort ratings of females for static joint motions. Ten female subjects participated in the experiment measuring perceived discomforts, in which almost every possible joint motion was included and the free modulus method of the magnitude estimation was employed. The results showed that discomfort levels were dependent on the joint motions and joints, and subjective discomfort ratings of women were significantly larger than those of men.

• IE interfaces
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.85-93
• /
• 2003

The purposes of this study are to investigate perceived discomfort for static joint motions, and to propose rankings for the joint motions based on the perceived discomfort. The perceived discomfort was measured through an experiment using the free modulus method of the magnitude estimation, in which ten healthy college-age female students participated. The results showed that joints, joint motions and their levels significantly affected the perceived discomfort at $\alpha$=0.01, and that the interaction of joints and joint motion levels was also significant. Based on the experimental results, three rankings were proposed by joint and joint motions, by joints and by joint motions, which were very different from the existing ones. Especially, the proposed rankings were different from the males' published before in their order and magnitude. These rankings can be used as a valuable tool for better understanding potentially adverse effects of poor working postures in industrial sites, and as basic data for developing the postural classification scheme.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.21 no.3 s.75
• /
• pp.122-126
• /
• 2006

This study investigated effect of arm posture, wrist motion repetition and external load on perceived discomfort through an experiment. Eleven female college students participated in the experiment, where shoulder, elbow and wrist motion, wrist motion repetition, and external load were used as independent variables. The results showed that only external load had a significant effect on perceived discomfort. The perceived discomfort linearly increased with external load. Based on the results of this and the previous study for males, it was concluded that effect of external load on perceived discomfort was larger than that of other posture and motion repetition related variables. This implies that effect of external load is the most important factor considered in the first place when assessing postural load.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.549-555
• /
• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of drilling on the ceiling in three different postures (standing, standing on the ladder and supine on the height adjusted board) and the subjective responses of perceived discomfort after the drilling. Background: Overhead work has been identified as a major occupational risk factor and has been a main research subject. Method: Ten young participants drilled 20 holes at the pre-marked places on the ceiling in three different postures. The drilling duration, resting and drilling heart rate were measured. The levels of perceived discomfort at neck, shoulder, elbow, hand and overall body were asked at the end of each task. Results: The working posture affected the heart rate after the drilling. Perceived discomfort in the neck decreased significantly in supine compared to drilling on the ladder. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that drilling in supine can be an alternative way to reduce the drilling heart rate and the level of perceived discomfort in the neck without sacrificing the productivity. Application: The results of this study would be considered when drilling on the ceiling is required in construction workers.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.11-27
• /
• 2005

The objectives of this study are to analyze representative wrist postures while using hand tools and parts at general assembly processes, to evaluate perceived discomfort on the wrist when external loads are present, and to suggest an evaluation and prediction model of perceived discomfort. Sixteen subjects participated in an experiment to appraise perceived discomfort. Three types of the wrist postures with five levels of non-neutralities were analyzed when five levels of external load were applied to each posture. The ANOVA results showed that the perceived discomfort of wrist postures was significantly affected by both the wrist posture and external load (p$<$0.001). It was also shown that some of the interactions between external loads and the wrist postures(Flexion/$Extension^*$Load, Flexion/$Extension^*$supination/pronation, ulnar/radial $deviation^*$supination/pronation) were significant(p$<$0.001). The result implies that a new posture classification scheme for workload assessment methods may be needed to reflect such effects of external load and wrist posture. A regression model of perceived discomfort was developed with respect to wrist posture and external load from the experimental data. A subsequent experiment revealed that the correlation coefficient between the predicted values of perceived discomfort from the model and the actual values obtained from the experiment was about 0.98. It is expected that the results help to properly estimate the body stress resulting from worker's postures and external loads and can be used as a valuable design guideline to analyze potential hazard of musculoskeletal diseases in industry.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.99-104
• /
• 2013

With diversity of mobile services (e.g., messenger, and social network service) on smartphone, the demand of text input using a soft keyboard is increasing. However, studies on subjective and physiological responses of users for various touch locations are lacking. The present study investigated the ergonomic effects according to touch locations of a soft keyboard on smartphone. The experiment of the present study measured perceived discomfort using Borg's CR-10 scale and electromyography (EMG) on forearm (abductor pollicis longus, and extensor digitorum communis) and thumb (abductor pollicis brevis, and first dorsal interossei) muscles. Perceived discomfort was significantly varied from 0.7 (extremely weak discomfort) to 2.5 (weak discomfort) depending on touch locations. %MVC according to touch locations was only significant at abductor pollicis brevis which varied from 10% to 23%. The experimental results of the present study can be utilized in the ergonomic design of a soft keyboard.