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Physical workload on upper extremities in various operations during machine milking

Pinzke, Stefan ; Stål, Marianne and Hansson, Gert-Åke LU (2001) In Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine 8(1). p.63-70
Abstract
The aim of the study was to quantify the workload on the upper extremity for fundamental work tasks during machine milking. Eleven milkers working in a loose-housing system with a milking parlour participated in the study. Muscle activity for the biceps and the forearm flexors, as well as positions and movements of the wrists were simultaneously measured by electromyography and electrogoniometry while videorecording the work. The milking work was broken up in three main tasks "Drying (the cow's udder)", "Pre-milking (the First milk)" and "Attaching (thr: milking unit to the udder)" and three supplementary tasks. All three main tasks show high muscle load values and almost no time for rest. The highest load values for the biceps and flexor... (More)
The aim of the study was to quantify the workload on the upper extremity for fundamental work tasks during machine milking. Eleven milkers working in a loose-housing system with a milking parlour participated in the study. Muscle activity for the biceps and the forearm flexors, as well as positions and movements of the wrists were simultaneously measured by electromyography and electrogoniometry while videorecording the work. The milking work was broken up in three main tasks "Drying (the cow's udder)", "Pre-milking (the First milk)" and "Attaching (thr: milking unit to the udder)" and three supplementary tasks. All three main tasks show high muscle load values and almost no time for rest. The highest load values for the biceps and flexor muscles were found during the tasks "Attaching, holding the milking unit" and "Drying", respectively. For 10% of the recording time, the milkers held active hands in 42 degrees dorsal flexion during the milking tasks "Pre-milking" and "Attaching" and in deviated positions exceeding 50% of their maximum values during "Attaching" and "Drying". The high muscle loads in combination with extreme positions and movements of the hand and forearm might contribute to the development of injuries among milkers. The result from the study aims to form a basis for technical improvements of the milking equipment to decrease the risk for arm wrist and hand disorders. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
electromyography, goniometer, wrist, muscle, ergonomics, agriculture, milk production
in
Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
volume
8
issue
1
pages
63 - 70
publisher
Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin, Poland
external identifiers
  • wos:000169532200010
  • scopus:0034955873
ISSN
1898-2263
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3ac63cb3-f1e7-4c00-ac60-d4cef9946ebf (old id 1119125)
alternative location
http://www.aaem.pl/pdf/aaem0110.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:37:06
date last changed
2022-01-26 07:43:04
@article{3ac63cb3-f1e7-4c00-ac60-d4cef9946ebf,
  abstract     = {{The aim of the study was to quantify the workload on the upper extremity for fundamental work tasks during machine milking. Eleven milkers working in a loose-housing system with a milking parlour participated in the study. Muscle activity for the biceps and the forearm flexors, as well as positions and movements of the wrists were simultaneously measured by electromyography and electrogoniometry while videorecording the work. The milking work was broken up in three main tasks "Drying (the cow's udder)", "Pre-milking (the First milk)" and "Attaching (thr: milking unit to the udder)" and three supplementary tasks. All three main tasks show high muscle load values and almost no time for rest. The highest load values for the biceps and flexor muscles were found during the tasks "Attaching, holding the milking unit" and "Drying", respectively. For 10% of the recording time, the milkers held active hands in 42 degrees dorsal flexion during the milking tasks "Pre-milking" and "Attaching" and in deviated positions exceeding 50% of their maximum values during "Attaching" and "Drying". The high muscle loads in combination with extreme positions and movements of the hand and forearm might contribute to the development of injuries among milkers. The result from the study aims to form a basis for technical improvements of the milking equipment to decrease the risk for arm wrist and hand disorders.}},
  author       = {{Pinzke, Stefan and Stål, Marianne and Hansson, Gert-Åke}},
  issn         = {{1898-2263}},
  keywords     = {{electromyography; goniometer; wrist; muscle; ergonomics; agriculture; milk production}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{63--70}},
  publisher    = {{Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin, Poland}},
  series       = {{Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine}},
  title        = {{Physical workload on upper extremities in various operations during machine milking}},
  url          = {{http://www.aaem.pl/pdf/aaem0110.pdf}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}