This article describes the symptomatology of three patients following electrical accidents. The f... more This article describes the symptomatology of three patients following electrical accidents. The flow of the current was from hand to hand, voltage was 220/380 V, and duration was at least a few seconds for all patients. The development of symptoms was the same, and may be explained as a thermal effect of electricity on the tissue. Initially the patients experienced transient confusion, followed by stiff muscles after 1 to 3 days, and then pain in the muscle attachments and joints close to path of the current. This pain increased slowly during the first two weeks. Recovery was gradual, but often incomplete. The case notes showed that electrical accidents may be followed by chronic rotator cuff tendinitis. The clinical examination also revealed a hearing loss at about 2,000 Hz and above 4,000 Hz. The neuropsychological testing indicated a diffuse impaired function in only one patient.
Aims To compare musculoskeletal pain intensity and duration of construction workers as a function... more Aims To compare musculoskeletal pain intensity and duration of construction workers as a function of type of work. Methods 239 male construction workers in active employment filled out a (baseline) questionnaire for a prospective study of jobs with assumed heavy work load. Reports of pain presented here was collected from the men in four work categories; project leaders/foremen (N = 62, age 45 y, SD ± 13), carpenters (N = 60, 41 y ± 13), concrete workers (N = 35, 42 y ± 12) and miscellaneous other manual workers (e.g. brick layers, henchmen, N = 28, 45 y ± 13). The participants were asked to report pain intensity in different body regions during the last four weeks (0: none, 1: mild, 2: moderate and 3: severe) and the duration of this pain (1: 1–5, 2: 6–10, 3: 11–14 and 4: 15–28 days). A severity index was constructed by multiplying the two recordings, intensity and duration (range 0–12). Two dichotomized variables were defined; for the intensity with a cut point ≥2 (in %) and for the index with a cut point ≥6 (in %). Five % trimmed mean is used due to skewed data. Results Low back pain was the most frequently reported pain symptom for all categories of workers (mean for all: mean intensity: 0.74, intensity ≥2: 23%, mean severity index: 1.64, index ≥6: 13%), expect carpenters that reported knee pain most frequent (mean intensity: 0.78, intensity ≥2: 26%, mean severity index: 2.08, index ≥6: 22%). The miscellaneous worker group reported the highest level of neck pain (mean intensity: 0.84, intensity ≥2: 25%, mean severity index: 2.03, index ≥6: 20%). Due to different time distribution of pain symptoms between individuals the use of pain duration gave additional information. Conclusions Most construction workers reported low levels of pain. The measurement of both intensity and duration allows computation of a proxy for pain severity.
Work-a Journal of Prevention Assessment & Rehabilitation, Mar 14, 2017
BACKGROUND Rope access technique is an alternative method for gaining access to challenging work ... more BACKGROUND Rope access technique is an alternative method for gaining access to challenging work locations. There is limited knowledge about possible adverse effects of this technique on the workers' health. OBJECTIVE To compare the frequency of bodily regions with pain in rope access technicians with craft workers and the working population in general. METHODS The one-month prevalence of pain in the head, neck, distal upper extremities, lower back and lower extremities was recorded in rope access technicians (n = 95), "craft workers" (n = 289) and "all occupations" (n = 1563). RESULTS An increased prevalence of pain in the neck, distal upper extremities and lower extremities was found for the rope access technicians compared with all occupations (p-values <0.01). Compared with the craft workers, relatively more rope access technicians reported pain in the lower extremity region (p <0.01) while the groups were similar for the other body regions. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of pain in the lower extremities was higher in rope access technicians compared with craft workers, while no differences were found for other body regions. The increased prevalence of pain in the neck and distal upper extremities in the technicians compared with all occupations may therefore be related to the work tasks and not the access technique.
ABSTRACT Thirty female chocolate packers were included in a prospective study to relate trapezius... more ABSTRACT Thirty female chocolate packers were included in a prospective study to relate trapezius muscle activity during work to the development of myalgia. Electromyographic (EMG) recordings and interviews on risk factors were performed at start of employment and every 10th week. The muscle activity was characterized by the averaged static and median level. Only data obtained before a possible development of severe symptoms of trapezius myalgia (patient) was used in the analysis. Seventeen of the subjects became patients within the first year of employment. Machine-stops occurred accidentally during work. At one task the stops induced a pause where the subjects passively waited for the machine to start. Twenty-one subjects experienced machine-stops of a sufficient duration to be evaluated for a potential “resting tension”. Future patients showed significantly higher “resting tension” compared to healthy controls.
Upper arm elevation, upper trapezius muscle activity, and neck and shoulder pain – a longitudinal... more Upper arm elevation, upper trapezius muscle activity, and neck and shoulder pain – a longitudinal study of construction and healthcare workers
This article describes the symptomatology of three patients following electrical accidents. The f... more This article describes the symptomatology of three patients following electrical accidents. The flow of the current was from hand to hand, voltage was 220/380 V, and duration was at least a few seconds for all patients. The development of symptoms was the same, and may be explained as a thermal effect of electricity on the tissue. Initially the patients experienced transient confusion, followed by stiff muscles after 1 to 3 days, and then pain in the muscle attachments and joints close to path of the current. This pain increased slowly during the first two weeks. Recovery was gradual, but often incomplete. The case notes showed that electrical accidents may be followed by chronic rotator cuff tendinitis. The clinical examination also revealed a hearing loss at about 2,000 Hz and above 4,000 Hz. The neuropsychological testing indicated a diffuse impaired function in only one patient.
Aims To compare musculoskeletal pain intensity and duration of construction workers as a function... more Aims To compare musculoskeletal pain intensity and duration of construction workers as a function of type of work. Methods 239 male construction workers in active employment filled out a (baseline) questionnaire for a prospective study of jobs with assumed heavy work load. Reports of pain presented here was collected from the men in four work categories; project leaders/foremen (N = 62, age 45 y, SD ± 13), carpenters (N = 60, 41 y ± 13), concrete workers (N = 35, 42 y ± 12) and miscellaneous other manual workers (e.g. brick layers, henchmen, N = 28, 45 y ± 13). The participants were asked to report pain intensity in different body regions during the last four weeks (0: none, 1: mild, 2: moderate and 3: severe) and the duration of this pain (1: 1–5, 2: 6–10, 3: 11–14 and 4: 15–28 days). A severity index was constructed by multiplying the two recordings, intensity and duration (range 0–12). Two dichotomized variables were defined; for the intensity with a cut point ≥2 (in %) and for the index with a cut point ≥6 (in %). Five % trimmed mean is used due to skewed data. Results Low back pain was the most frequently reported pain symptom for all categories of workers (mean for all: mean intensity: 0.74, intensity ≥2: 23%, mean severity index: 1.64, index ≥6: 13%), expect carpenters that reported knee pain most frequent (mean intensity: 0.78, intensity ≥2: 26%, mean severity index: 2.08, index ≥6: 22%). The miscellaneous worker group reported the highest level of neck pain (mean intensity: 0.84, intensity ≥2: 25%, mean severity index: 2.03, index ≥6: 20%). Due to different time distribution of pain symptoms between individuals the use of pain duration gave additional information. Conclusions Most construction workers reported low levels of pain. The measurement of both intensity and duration allows computation of a proxy for pain severity.
Work-a Journal of Prevention Assessment & Rehabilitation, Mar 14, 2017
BACKGROUND Rope access technique is an alternative method for gaining access to challenging work ... more BACKGROUND Rope access technique is an alternative method for gaining access to challenging work locations. There is limited knowledge about possible adverse effects of this technique on the workers' health. OBJECTIVE To compare the frequency of bodily regions with pain in rope access technicians with craft workers and the working population in general. METHODS The one-month prevalence of pain in the head, neck, distal upper extremities, lower back and lower extremities was recorded in rope access technicians (n = 95), "craft workers" (n = 289) and "all occupations" (n = 1563). RESULTS An increased prevalence of pain in the neck, distal upper extremities and lower extremities was found for the rope access technicians compared with all occupations (p-values <0.01). Compared with the craft workers, relatively more rope access technicians reported pain in the lower extremity region (p <0.01) while the groups were similar for the other body regions. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of pain in the lower extremities was higher in rope access technicians compared with craft workers, while no differences were found for other body regions. The increased prevalence of pain in the neck and distal upper extremities in the technicians compared with all occupations may therefore be related to the work tasks and not the access technique.
ABSTRACT Thirty female chocolate packers were included in a prospective study to relate trapezius... more ABSTRACT Thirty female chocolate packers were included in a prospective study to relate trapezius muscle activity during work to the development of myalgia. Electromyographic (EMG) recordings and interviews on risk factors were performed at start of employment and every 10th week. The muscle activity was characterized by the averaged static and median level. Only data obtained before a possible development of severe symptoms of trapezius myalgia (patient) was used in the analysis. Seventeen of the subjects became patients within the first year of employment. Machine-stops occurred accidentally during work. At one task the stops induced a pause where the subjects passively waited for the machine to start. Twenty-one subjects experienced machine-stops of a sufficient duration to be evaluated for a potential “resting tension”. Future patients showed significantly higher “resting tension” compared to healthy controls.
Upper arm elevation, upper trapezius muscle activity, and neck and shoulder pain – a longitudinal... more Upper arm elevation, upper trapezius muscle activity, and neck and shoulder pain – a longitudinal study of construction and healthcare workers
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