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Neck postures in air traffic controllers with and without neck/shoulder disorders.

Arvidsson, Inger LU ; Hansson, Gert-Åke LU ; Mathiassen, Svend Erik LU and Skerfving, Staffan LU (2008) In Applied Ergonomics 39(2). p.255-260
Abstract
Prolonged computer work with an extended neck is commonly believed to be associated with an increased risk of neck–shoulder disorders. The aim of this study was to compare neck postures during computer work between female cases with neck–shoulder disorders, and healthy referents. Based on physical examinations, 13 cases and 11 referents were selected among 70 female air traffic controllers with the same computer-based work tasks and identical workstations. Postures and movements were measured by inclinometers, placed on the forehead and upper back (C7/Th1) during authentic air traffic control. A recently developed method was applied to assess flexion/extension in the neck, calculated as the difference between head and upper back... (More)
Prolonged computer work with an extended neck is commonly believed to be associated with an increased risk of neck–shoulder disorders. The aim of this study was to compare neck postures during computer work between female cases with neck–shoulder disorders, and healthy referents. Based on physical examinations, 13 cases and 11 referents were selected among 70 female air traffic controllers with the same computer-based work tasks and identical workstations. Postures and movements were measured by inclinometers, placed on the forehead and upper back (C7/Th1) during authentic air traffic control. A recently developed method was applied to assess flexion/extension in the neck, calculated as the difference between head and upper back flexion/extension. Results: cases and referents did not differ significantly in neck posture (median neck flexion/extension: −10° vs. −9°; p=0.9). Hence, the belief that neck extension posture is associated with neck–shoulder disorders in computer work is not supported by the present data. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Inclinometry, Computer work, Case-referent
in
Applied Ergonomics
volume
39
issue
2
pages
255 - 260
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000253238300015
  • scopus:36849078098
  • pmid:17568557
ISSN
1872-9126
DOI
10.1016/j.apergo.2007.03.006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3d6831be-17cb-4145-98d0-9f7777c56649 (old id 539806)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17568557&dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:15:30
date last changed
2022-03-21 17:33:58
@article{3d6831be-17cb-4145-98d0-9f7777c56649,
  abstract     = {{Prolonged computer work with an extended neck is commonly believed to be associated with an increased risk of neck–shoulder disorders. The aim of this study was to compare neck postures during computer work between female cases with neck–shoulder disorders, and healthy referents. Based on physical examinations, 13 cases and 11 referents were selected among 70 female air traffic controllers with the same computer-based work tasks and identical workstations. Postures and movements were measured by inclinometers, placed on the forehead and upper back (C7/Th1) during authentic air traffic control. A recently developed method was applied to assess flexion/extension in the neck, calculated as the difference between head and upper back flexion/extension. Results: cases and referents did not differ significantly in neck posture (median neck flexion/extension: −10° vs. −9°; p=0.9). Hence, the belief that neck extension posture is associated with neck–shoulder disorders in computer work is not supported by the present data.}},
  author       = {{Arvidsson, Inger and Hansson, Gert-Åke and Mathiassen, Svend Erik and Skerfving, Staffan}},
  issn         = {{1872-9126}},
  keywords     = {{Inclinometry; Computer work; Case-referent}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{255--260}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Applied Ergonomics}},
  title        = {{Neck postures in air traffic controllers with and without neck/shoulder disorders.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2007.03.006}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apergo.2007.03.006}},
  volume       = {{39}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}