Journal of Human Ergology

Influence of landing on the supination and pronation in the foot joint

Akira Maeda, Hiroshi Ebashi, Hidetsugu Nishizono, Hidetaro Shibayama, ...

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 1-8
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.1

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The purpose of this study was to measure the changes of supination and pronation in the ankle joint at landing to quantify the influence of shock attenuation during landing. The subjects did two different motions, jumping down on the force platform from posterior and lateral views. The rear view of single foot contact in a jump from height of 30 and 60 cm showed a lnading on the inside of the rear part of the foot (pronation) followed after about 0.03 sec by a rolling outward of the foot (supination). The variables describing changes in three angles of the ankle joint indicated that the standing position was more sensitive on the pronation and supination during ground contact.

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The Female/Male Ratio of Anthropometric Dimensions

Muhammad H. Al-Haboubi

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 9-16
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.9

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OCCUPATIONAL WORKLOAD OF FISHERWOMEN IN INDIA

R. Tewari, R. Parekh, P.N. Saha

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 17-21
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.17

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A group of 60 fisherwomen, aged 20 to 50 yrs., were studied to evaluate their occupational workloads. Of the eight activities involved in fish handling, only four, viz., sorting, washing, drying, and selling, which are most frequently carried out by the fisherwomen, were selected. The heart rate responses and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were used as measures of occupational workload. Based on the findings, the occupational workload could be classified as "moderately heavy". A significant influence of age and body weight on the physiological workload was observed, being negatively correlated with age and positively with weight.

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EFFECTS OF AN ARTIFICIALLY CARBONATED BATH ON ATHLETIC WARM-UP

Takuya Akamine, Nobutaka Taguchi

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 22-29
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: February 23, 2011

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.22

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The effects of an artificially carbonated bath (36°C, CO₂ 300 ppm, 20 minutes) on the warm-up of swimmers was compared with those of a freshwater bath (36°C, 20 minutes). Carbon dioxide is reported to have a vasodilatory effect on peripheral blood vessels of cutaneous and muscular tissue and to promote blood flow. We observed that the warm-up effects of a carbonated bath before swimming on the hematocrit, white blood cell, total plasma protein, and total cholesterol levels in venous blood were significantly increased more than those of a freshwater bath before swimming in recovery period (p < 0.05). Thus the carbonated bath tended to be more effective for increasing the concentrations of blood components. In the recovery period, the carbonated bath before swimming also resulted in significantly smaller changes in blood lactic acid and heart rate than those of a freshwater bath before swimming (p < 0.05). The decrease in electromyography of the M. rectus femoris during swimming suggested more efficient muscle activity after a carbonated bath. Therefore after a carbonated bath, swimmers should have a higher reserve left in the cardiovascular system, resulting in better performance during swimming and less accumulation of fatigue-related metabolites after swimming.

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INFLUENCE OF MUSIC ON HEART RATEVARIABILITY AND COMFORT

-A CONSIDERATION THROUGH COMPARISON OF MUSIC AND NOISEME-

Mamoru UMEMURA, Kaoru HONDA

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 30-38
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.30

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By considering three kinds of music and noise, this research investigates the influence of music on the living body by comparing the difference of influence on heart rate variability and comfort when subjects listen to music and are exposed to noise. We used two pieces of classical music, rock music, and noise recorded by a tape recorder. The following conclusions were made from the findings of the research: 1) Hearing classical music results in a small variance of Mayer Wave related Sinus Arrhythmia (MWSA) component and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) component compared with a body being at rest. This is because the sympathetic nerve is suppressed by the sound of classical music. With rock music and noise, however, the MWSA component increases and the RSA component decreases. 2) From a psychological evaluation, we found that classical music tends to cause comfort and rock music and noise tend to cause discomfort. 3) A correlation was found between the balance of the MWSA component and the RSA component and the psychological evaluation. As the comfort increases, the variance of MWSA decreases; as discomfort increases, the variance of MWSA increases.

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HOW IS A SEITA FITTED TO THE BODY?

Masanori KAWAHARA, Emiko NAMIHIRA, Haruhiko SATO

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 39-46
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.39

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A seita is a carrier frame for backpacking used in Nishiki-cho, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. In this mountainous district, people make their living by agriculture and forestry and carry everything on their backs with seita. In this study, we investigated the relationships between the sizes of a body and the dimensions of a seita. This survey was conducted on 30 subjects (mean±SD; 68.1±9.0 years old) at three mountain villages. We measured some anthropometric sizes and seita dimensions and found that the correlation between height and sum of shoulder-lumbar-nuki distance (back length of a seita) and shoulder strap length is significant. In additional surveys, we took photographs with some markers on iliocristale, trochanterion, and so on, when the subjects carried seita in two load conditions. The photographs indicate that the load-supporting points in 16 of 23 subjects were between the iliocristale and trochanterion (i.e., on the sacrum). It is important to note that nobody showed that point above the iliocristale (i.e., on the lumbar vertebra). These data lead to the conclusion that when people in Nishikicho carry loads with seita, they support loads not on the lumbar vertebrae but on the sacrum, and that they adjust the perimeter consisting of the back part and shoulder strap of the seita.

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EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF SEITA-FITTING

Masanori Kawahara, Hideki Sako, Haruhiko Sato

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 47-54
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.47

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The purpose of this study was to verify the difference between carrying a load on the sacrum (LOS) and on the lumbar vertebrae (LOL) in oxygen uptake, muscle activities, heart rate, cadence, and subjective response. Nine males (26.7±3.1 years old), each carrying a 7.5 kg carrier frame and a 40 kg load, walked on a treadmill at a speed of 50 mlmin. EMGs were recorded from the trapezius, rectus abdominis, erector spinae, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, biceps femoris long head, tibial anterior, soleus, medial head of gastrocnemius, and the lateral head of gastrocnemius. For each subject the integrated EMG (IEMG) was normalized by dividing the IEMG in the LOL and LOS by the IEMG in a no-load condition (NL) for each investigated muscle. The following was significantly higher in LOL than in LOS: oxygen uptake; IEMG of the tibial anterior, soleus, and medial head of gastrocnemius; cadence; and rated perceived exertion. However, IEMG of the erector spinae was significantly lower in LOL than in LOS. These results suggest that seitafitting in LOS causes a decrease of leg muscle activities, which causes oxygen uptake to decrease beyond the increase of the erector spinae activity.

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LIFTING PATIENTS IN BED WITH AND WITHOUT A DRAWSHEET:A COMPARATIVE ERGONOMICS STUDY

Pranee C. LUNDBERG, Puangkaew WIWATJESADAWOUT

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 55-61
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: February 23, 2011

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.55

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Two techniques for lifting a patient in bed, namely with and without the use of a drawsheet, have been compared from an ergonomics point of view. Forty-two nurses of a Thai university hospital were studied before and after using each method by measuring back strengths and by using a questionnaire for feelings of fatigue and for musculoskeletal fatigue and pain. Decreases in back strength 10 minutes after and immediately after lifting with each method were found to be significant (90% confidence). The decrease 10 minutes after lifting was found to be significantly smaller with a drawsheet than without one (98% confidence). Immediately after lifting there was less difference between the two methods, which indicates that the use of a drawsheet reduced the recovery time and the decrease in back strength. Increases in feelings of fatigue from lifting with each method were also found to be significant (90% confidence), and the results indicate that the increase was lower with a drawsheet than without one. Musculoskeletal fatigue and pain immediately after lifting were more common without a drawsheet than with one. In conclusion, the lifting technique with a drawsheet is ergonomically superior and should be used by nursing personnel.

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Influence of VDT Monitor Positions on Discomfort and Performance of Users with or without Bifocal Lenses

Rana Balci, Fereydoun Aghazadeh

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 62-69
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: February 23, 2011

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.62

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The difficulty of video display terminal users with bifocal lenses through a traditional workstation increases the complaints and risks for upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders. Furthermore, the regular and no lens users also have problems with traditionally designed workstations over prolonged periods of video display terminal use. A study was conducted on 14 subjects to investigate the effect of computer monitor location for video display terminal users with or without bifocals on subjective assessment and performance. The two monitor locations were 15° and 40° below horizontal eye level. The experimental task consisted of reading words from computer screens and typing them from the reverse side to the next column. Each experimental session lasted one hour. Males with bifocal lenses had less discomfort in the neck, shoulders, forearms, and wrists, less tiredness and eyestrain and higher performance with a 40° angle monitor than with a 15° angle monitor. A similar conclusion has been reached for females. Users with bifocal lenses had significantly higher neck discomfort and lower performance than nonbifocal users. The 40° angle monitor caused less neck discomfort than the 15° angle monitor did. Overall, females had less physical discomfort, less tiredness, and higher performance than males.

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FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO DISCOMFORT OR DISSATISFACTION AS A RESULT OF WEARING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Farhang Akbar-Khanzadeh

1998 Volume 27 Issue 1-2 Pages 70-75
Published: December 15, 1998
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11183/jhe1972.27.70

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In a metal refining plant, 366 workers were interviewed to investigate factors contributing to the discomfort or dissatisfaction of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Up to 97.8% of these individuals used one or more types of PPE. The percentages of employees who reported their hard hats and cooling vests as comfortable were 17% and 19%, respectively. Twenty-five percent of workers felt their respirators and safety harnesses were comfortable. Safety glasses ranked at 50%, gloves 53%, and safety shoes 54% for comfort factor. The percentage of employees who tolerated their PPE (just acceptable) ranged from 27% to 52%. The most frequently cited factors contributing to discomfort or dissatisfaction of wearing PPE were related to the workers' beliefs that the PPE was not needed, created a new hazard, interfered with work, was too heavy, was hard to wear, prohibited breathing or communicating, irritated skin, put pressure on the body, and was of an undesirable type or model.

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