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Wrist posture affects hand and forearm muscle stress during tapping.

Non-neutral wrist posture is a risk factor of the musculoskeletal disorders among computer users. This study aimed to assess internal loads on hand and forearm musculature while tapping in different wrist postures. Ten healthy subjects tapped on a key switch using their index finger in four wrist po...

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Published in:Applied Ergonomics Vol. 44; no. 6; pp. 969 - 977
Main Authors: Qin, Jin, Chen, Hua, Dennerlein, Jack T
Format: research Journal Article
Published: Elsevier B.V. Nov2013
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      jtl: Applied Ergonomics
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      dt: Nov2013
      vid: 44
      iid: 6
      pid: 82545
      pub: Elsevier B.V.
      place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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        NLM23591089
        2012237113
        10.1016/j.apergo.2013.03.013
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      tig:
        atl: Wrist posture affects hand and forearm muscle stress during tapping.
      aug:
        au:
          Qin, Jin
          Chen, Hua
          Dennerlein, Jack T
        affil: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
      sug:
        subj:
          Movement Physiology
          Muscle, Skeletal Physiopathology
          Posture Physiology
          Stress, Mechanical
          Wrist Physiology
          Adult
          Kinematics
          Computer Terminals
          Female
          Forearm
          Hand
          Human
          Male
          Models, Biological
          Torque
          Young Adult
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Female
          Male
      ab: Non-neutral wrist posture is a risk factor of the musculoskeletal disorders among computer users. This study aimed to assess internal loads on hand and forearm musculature while tapping in different wrist postures. Ten healthy subjects tapped on a key switch using their index finger in four wrist postures: straight, ulnar deviated, flexed and extended. Torque at the finger and wrist joints were calculated from measured joint postures and fingertip force. Muscle stresses of the six finger muscles and four wrist muscles that balanced the calculated joint torques were estimated using a musculoskeletal model and optimization algorithm minimizing the squared sum of muscle stress. Non-neutral wrist postures resulted in greater muscle stresses than the neutral (straight) wrist posture, and the stress in the extensor muscles were greater than the flexors in all conditions. Wrist extensors stress remained higher than 4.5 N/cm² and wrist flexor stress remained below 0.5 N/cm² during tapping. The sustained high motor unit recruitment of extensors suggests a greater risk than other muscles especially in flexed wrist posture. This study demonstrated from the perspective of internal tissue loading the importance of maintaining neutral wrist posture during keying activities.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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