Effects of Sensor Types and Angular Velocity Computational Methods in Field Measurements of Occupational Upper Arm and Trunk Postures and Movements

Accelerometer-based inclinometers have dominated kinematic measurements in previous field studies, while the use of inertial measurement units that additionally include gyroscopes is rapidly increasing. Recent laboratory studies suggest that these two sensor types and the two commonly used angular velocity computational methods may produce substantially different results. The aim of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the effects of sensor types and angular velocity computational methods on the measures of work postures and movements in a real occupational setting. Half-workday recordings of arm and trunk postures, and movements from 38 warehouse workers were compared using two sensor types: accelerometers versus accelerometers with gyroscopes—and using two angular velocity computational methods, i.e., inclination velocity versus generalized velocity. The results showed an overall small difference (<2° and value independent) for posture percentiles between the two sensor types, but substantial differences in movement percentiles both between the sensor types and between the angular computational methods. For example, the group mean of the 50th percentiles were for accelerometers: 71°/s (generalized velocity) and 33°/s (inclination velocity)—and for accelerometers with gyroscopes: 31°/s (generalized velocity) and 16°/s (inclination velocity). The significant effects of sensor types and angular computational methods on angular velocity measures in field work are important in inter-study comparisons and in comparisons to recommended threshold limit values.

[1]  D. Belavy,et al.  No consensus on causality of spine postures or physical exposure and low back pain: A systematic review of systematic reviews. , 2020, Journal of biomechanics.

[2]  Haniye Sadat Sajadi,et al.  Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 359 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 , 2018, The Lancet.

[3]  S. Milosavljevic,et al.  Dose-response relationship between work-related cumulative postural exposure and low back pain: a systematic review. , 2012, The Annals of occupational hygiene.

[4]  Pascal Madeleine,et al.  The DPhacto cohort: An overview of technically measured physical activity at work and leisure in blue-collar sectors for practitioners and researchers. , 2019, Applied ergonomics.

[5]  G. Hansson,et al.  Validity and reliability of triaxial accelerometers for inclinometry in posture analysis , 2001, Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing.

[6]  Kerstina Ohlsson,et al.  Physical workload in various types of work: Part II. Neck, shoulder and upper arm , 2010 .

[7]  Jörgen Eklund,et al.  Reducing postural load in order picking through a smart workwear system using real-time vibrotactile feedback. , 2020, Applied ergonomics.

[8]  R. Norman,et al.  A comparison of peak vs cumulative physical work exposure risk factors for the reporting of low back pain in the automotive industry. , 1998, Clinical biomechanics.

[9]  Andreas Holtermann,et al.  Validity of the Acti4 software using ActiGraph GT3X+accelerometer for recording of arm and upper body inclination in simulated work tasks , 2014, Ergonomics.

[10]  S E Mathiassen,et al.  Precision of measurements of physical workload during standardised manual handling. Part II: Inclinometry of head, upper back, neck and upper arms. , 2006, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[11]  L. Kincl,et al.  Workday Arm Elevation Exposure: A Comparison Between Two Professions , 2013 .

[12]  J. Sluiter,et al.  Criteria document for evaluating the work-relatedness of upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders. , 2001, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[13]  Kaj Bo Veiersted,et al.  Physical capacity, occupational physical demands, and relative physical strain of older employees in construction and healthcare , 2018, International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.

[14]  B. Galna,et al.  Quantification of soft tissue artifact in lower limb human motion analysis: a systematic review. , 2010, Gait & posture.

[15]  Gang Yang,et al.  Cumulative Spine Loading and Clinically Meaningful Declines in Low-Back Function , 2014, Hum. Factors.

[16]  W S Marras,et al.  The effects of motion on trunk biomechanics. , 2000, Clinical biomechanics.

[17]  Mats Hagberg,et al.  The work ability index and single-item question: associations with sick leave, symptoms, and health--a prospective study of women on long-term sick leave. , 2010, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[18]  Nathan B Fethke,et al.  Radio frequency identification to measure the duration of machine-paced assembly tasks: Agreement with self-reported task duration and application in variance components analyses of upper arm postures and movements recorded over multiple days. , 2019, Applied ergonomics.

[19]  L Punnett,et al.  Validity of fixed-interval observations for postural assessment in construction work. , 2001, Applied ergonomics.

[20]  Siegfried Fischer,et al.  Simultaneous field measuring method of vibration and body posture for assessment of seated occupational driving tasks , 2008 .

[21]  Thomas Kraus,et al.  Longitudinal evidence for the association between work-related physical exposures and neck and/or shoulder complaints: a systematic review , 2012, International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.

[22]  L. Merlino,et al.  Biomechanical factors during common agricultural activities: Results of on-farm exposure assessments using direct measurement methods , 2020, Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene.

[23]  L. Punnett,et al.  Subjective ratings of upper extremity exposures: Inter-method agreement with direct measurement of exposures , 2008, Ergonomics.

[24]  S Skerfving,et al.  Musculoskeletal disorders among female and male air traffic controllers performing identical and demanding computer work , 2006, Ergonomics.

[25]  Mohsen Zare,et al.  Comparison of three methods for evaluation of work postures in a truck assembly plant , 2017, Ergonomics.

[26]  Rong Zhu,et al.  A real-time articulated human motion tracking using tri-axis inertial/magnetic sensors package , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[27]  R. Rittner,et al.  Exposure-response relationships for work-related neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders--Analyses of pooled uniform data sets. , 2016, Applied ergonomics.

[28]  Daria Battini,et al.  Innovative real-time system to integrate ergonomic evaluations into warehouse design and management , 2014, Comput. Ind. Eng..

[29]  W S Marras,et al.  Biomechanical risk factors for occupationally related low back disorders. , 1995, Ergonomics.

[30]  Laurel Kincl,et al.  Validation of tri-axial accelerometer for the calculation of elevation angles , 2009 .

[31]  Sigurd Mikkelsen,et al.  Sex Differences in Task Distribution and Task Exposures among Danish House Painters: An Observational Study Combining Questionnaire Data with Biomechanical Measurements , 2014, PloS one.

[32]  Kerstina Ohlsson,et al.  Differences in physical workload, psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders between two groups of female hospital cleaners with two diverse organizational models , 2007, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[33]  T. Larsson,et al.  The Effect of Working Position on Trunk Posture and Exertion for Routine Nursing Tasks: An Experimental Study , 2013, The Annals of occupational hygiene.

[34]  A. Cappozzo,et al.  Human movement analysis using stereophotogrammetry. Part 3. Soft tissue artifact assessment and compensation. , 2005, Gait & posture.

[35]  Kaj Bo Veiersted,et al.  Work with prolonged arm elevation as a risk factor for shoulder pain: a longitudinal study among young adults. , 2015, Applied ergonomics.

[36]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  Is what you see what you get? Standard inclinometry of set upper arm elevation angles. , 2015, Applied ergonomics.

[37]  Kerstina Ohlsson,et al.  Rationalization in meat cutting - consequences on physical workload. , 2012, Applied ergonomics.

[38]  Mark C Schall,et al.  Working postures and physical activity among registered nurses. , 2016, Applied ergonomics.

[39]  Gabriele Bleser,et al.  Innovative system for real-time ergonomic feedback in industrial manufacturing. , 2013, Applied ergonomics.

[40]  Gert-Åke Hansson,et al.  Postures and movements in the most common tasks of power line workers. , 2011, Industrial health.

[41]  M. Forsman,et al.  Validation and Comparison of Three Positioning Protocols of Inertial Measurement Units for Measuring Trunk Movement , 2018, Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing.

[42]  Carlo Alberto Avizzano,et al.  A novel wearable system for the online assessment of risk for biomechanical load in repetitive efforts , 2016 .

[43]  Tore J Larsson,et al.  Frequent bending--an underestimated burden in nursing professions. , 2012, The Annals of occupational hygiene.

[44]  Kerstina Ohlsson,et al.  Physical workload on neck and upper limb using two CAD applications. , 2002, Applied ergonomics.

[45]  Pascal Madeleine,et al.  Are forward bending of the trunk and low back pain associated among Danish blue-collar workers? A cross-sectional field study based on objective measures , 2015, Ergonomics.

[46]  F. Downie,et al.  OPSITE Flexifix Gentle: preventing breakdown in vulnerable skin. , 2013, British journal of nursing.

[47]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  Changes in physical workload with implementation of mouse-based information technology in air traffic control , 2006 .

[48]  Mikael Forsman,et al.  Inter- and intra-rater reliability of the OCRA checklist method in video-recorded manual work tasks. , 2020, Applied ergonomics.

[49]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  Trunk and upper arm postures in paper mill work. , 2019, Applied ergonomics.

[50]  Howard Chen,et al.  Measuring upper arm elevation using an inertial measurement unit: An exploration of sensor fusion algorithms and gyroscope models. , 2020, Applied ergonomics.

[51]  A. Karduna,et al.  The reliability of side to side measurements of upper extremity activity levels in healthy subjects , 2010, BMC musculoskeletal disorders.

[52]  Nastaran Raffler,et al.  Factors affecting the perception of whole-body vibration of occupational drivers: an analysis of posture and manual materials handling and musculoskeletal disorders , 2015, Ergonomics.

[53]  I Balogh,et al.  The importance of work organization on workload and musculoskeletal health--Grocery store work as a model. , 2016, Applied ergonomics.

[54]  Henrik Enquist,et al.  Action Levels for the Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Neck and Upper Extremities: A Proposal , 2021, Annals of work exposures and health.

[55]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  Full-Shift Trunk and Upper Arm Postures and Movements Among Aircraft Baggage Handlers. , 2016, The Annals of occupational hygiene.

[56]  A. Nienhaus,et al.  Evaluation of a Training Program to Reduce Stressful Trunk Postures in the Nursing Professions: A Pilot Study , 2017, Annals of work exposures and health.

[57]  Carl Mikael Lind,et al.  Development and evaluation of RAMP I – a practitioner’s tool for screening of musculoskeletal disorder risk factors in manual handling , 2019, International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics : JOSE.

[58]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  Assessing arm elevation at work with technical systems , 2018 .

[59]  M. Forsman,et al.  The search for practical and reliable observational or technical risk assessment methods to be used in prevention of musculoskeletal disorders , 2017 .

[60]  Tal Amasay,et al.  In Vivo Measurement of Humeral Elevation Angles and Exposure Using a Triaxial Accelerometer , 2010, Hum. Factors.

[61]  Kaj Bo Veiersted,et al.  Effect of an intervention addressing working technique on the biomechanical load of the neck and shoulders among hairdressers. , 2008, Applied ergonomics.

[62]  Jørgen Skotte,et al.  Exposure to Upper Arm Elevation During Work Compared to Leisure Among 12 Different Occupations Measured with Triaxial Accelerometers , 2018, Annals of work exposures and health.

[63]  M. Schall,et al.  Accuracy of angular displacements and velocities from inertial-based inclinometers. , 2018, Applied ergonomics.

[64]  Gert-Åke Hansson,et al.  Validity of a small low-cost triaxial accelerometer with integrated logger for uncomplicated measurements of postures and movements of head, upper back and upper arms. , 2016, Applied ergonomics.

[65]  M. Forsman,et al.  Self-recordings of upper arm elevation during cleaning – comparison between analyses using a simplified reference posture and a standard reference posture , 2018, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

[66]  Alex Burdorf,et al.  Model for the work-relatedness of low-back pain. , 2003, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[67]  C. Wiktorin,et al.  A triaxial accelerometer for measuring arm movements. , 2002, Applied ergonomics.

[68]  Reiner Rugulies,et al.  The impact of work-related psychosocial stressors on the onset of musculoskeletal disorders in specific body regions: A review and meta-analysis of 54 longitudinal studies , 2011 .

[69]  S. Gallagher,et al.  Comparing upper arm and trunk kinematics between manufacturing workers performing predominantly cyclic and non-cyclic work tasks. , 2021, Applied ergonomics.

[70]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  Systematic evaluation of observational methods assessing biomechanical exposures at work. , 2010, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[71]  Kerstina Ohlsson,et al.  Gender differences in workers with identical repetitive industrial tasks: exposure and musculoskeletal disorders , 2008, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[72]  Jørgen Skotte,et al.  Detection of physical activity types using triaxial accelerometers. , 2014, Journal of physical activity & health.

[73]  Gert-Åke Hansson,et al.  Occupational posture exposure among construction electricians. , 2013, Applied ergonomics.

[74]  M. Forsman,et al.  Intraoperative workload in robotic surgery assessed by wearable motion tracking sensors and questionnaires , 2017, Surgical Endoscopy.

[76]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  An integrated analysis of ergonomics and time consumption in Swedish 'craft-type' car disassembly. , 2005, Applied ergonomics.

[77]  Rolf Ellegast,et al.  Quantitative measurement of stressful trunk postures in nursing professions. , 2007, The Annals of occupational hygiene.

[78]  A. Holtermann,et al.  Physical Work Demands of Childcare Workers in Denmark: Device-Based Measurements and Workplace Observations Among 199 Childcare Workers from 16 Day Nurseries , 2020, Annals of work exposures and health.

[79]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  Upper arm postures and movements in female hairdressers across four full working days. , 2010, The Annals of occupational hygiene.

[80]  Christian Larue,et al.  Feasibility of quantifying the physical exposure of materials handlers in the workplace with magnetic and inertial measurement units , 2020, Ergonomics.

[81]  L. Sandsjö,et al.  Mechanical exposure among general practice dentists in Sweden and possible implications of rationalisation , 2011, Ergonomics.

[82]  Mikael Forsman,et al.  Development and evaluation of RAMP II - a practitioner’s tool for assessing musculoskeletal disorder risk factors in industrial manual handling , 2019, Ergonomics.

[83]  S. Knardahl,et al.  Associations of objectively measured forward bending at work with low-back pain intensity: a 2-year follow-up of construction and healthcare workers , 2019, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

[84]  Tomas Engström,et al.  Increasing the degree of automation in a production system: Consequences for the physical workload , 2006 .

[85]  Jack T Dennerlein,et al.  Upper extremity biomechanics in computer tasks differ by gender. , 2009, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[86]  J H van Dieën,et al.  Observed differences in upper extremity forces, muscle efforts, postures, velocities and accelerations across computer activities in a field study of office workers , 2012, Ergonomics.

[87]  Peter W Johnson,et al.  A feasibility study comparing objective and subjective field-based physical exposure measurements during apple harvesting with ladders and mobile platforms , 2019, Journal of agromedicine.

[88]  Lars Medbo,et al.  A case study of a principally new way of materials kitting an evaluation of time consumption and physical workload , 2002 .

[89]  J. Winkel,et al.  Rationalisation in public dental care – impact on clinical work tasks and mechanical exposure for dentists – a prospective study , 2013, Ergonomics.

[90]  D. Cole,et al.  Individual participant data meta-analysis of mechanical workplace risk factors and low back pain. , 2012, American journal of public health.

[91]  Svend Erik Mathiassen,et al.  Cost-efficient assessment of biomechanical exposure in occupational groups, exemplified by posture observation and inclinometry. , 2014, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[92]  Laura Punnett,et al.  Musculoskeletal disorders and occupational exposures: How should we judge the evidence concerning the causal association? , 2014, Scandinavian journal of public health.

[93]  E. Tompa,et al.  The value of occupational safety and health and the societal costs of work-related injuries and diseases , 2019 .

[94]  Alex Burdorf,et al.  Associations between work-related factors and specific disorders of the shoulder--a systematic review of the literature. , 2010, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[95]  Ahmed Al-Jawad,et al.  A systematic review of the characteristics and validity of monitoring technologies to assess Parkinson’s disease , 2016, Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation.

[96]  John Rosecrance,et al.  Full shift arm inclinometry among dairy parlor workers: a feasibility study in a challenging work environment. , 2012, Applied ergonomics.

[97]  Oliver Kuss,et al.  Physical workload and accelerated occurrence of lumbar spine diseases: risk and rate advancement periods in a German multicenter case-control study. , 2011, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[98]  N. Fallentin,et al.  Assessment of work postures and movements using a video-based observation method and direct technical measurements. , 2001, Applied ergonomics.

[99]  Cristiane Shinohara Moriguchi,et al.  Are posture data from simulated tasks representative of field conditions? Case study for overhead electric utility workers , 2012, Ergonomics.

[100]  Laurel Kincl,et al.  Ergonomic evaluation of masons laying concrete masonry units and autoclaved aerated concrete. , 2010, Applied ergonomics.

[101]  Hagen Schmal,et al.  Validation of Activity Tracking Procedures in Elderly Patients after Operative Treatment of Proximal Femur Fractures , 2018, Rehabilitation research and practice.

[102]  Idsart Kingma,et al.  Cumulative mechanical low-back load at work is a determinant of low-back pain , 2014, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

[103]  Jörgen Eklund,et al.  A Wearable Sensor System for Physical Ergonomics Interventions Using Haptic Feedback , 2020, Sensors.

[104]  R. Alarcón,et al.  Non‐normal data: Is ANOVA still a valid option? , 2017, Psicothema.

[105]  Mikael Forsman,et al.  An iPhone application for upper arm posture and movement measurements. , 2017, Applied ergonomics.

[106]  Sakiko Oyama,et al.  Accuracy and repeatability of an inertial measurement unit system for field-based occupational studies , 2016, Ergonomics.

[107]  Nastaran Raffler,et al.  Combined exposures of whole-body vibration and awkward posture: a cross sectional investigation among occupational drivers by means of simultaneous field measurements , 2017, Ergonomics.

[108]  L. Straker,et al.  Posture variation among office workers when using different information and communication technologies at work and away from work , 2014, Ergonomics.

[109]  Jean-Claude Sagot,et al.  Physical risk factors identification based on body sensor network combined to videotaping. , 2017, Applied ergonomics.

[110]  G. Hansson,et al.  Work-related neck and upper limb disorders – quantitative exposure–response relationships adjusted for personal characteristics and psychosocial conditions , 2019, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

[111]  I. Balogh,et al.  Relation between perceived and measured workload obtained by long-term inclinometry among dentists. , 2009, Applied ergonomics.

[112]  Howard Chen,et al.  Characterizing exposure to physical risk factors among reforestation hand planters in the Southeastern United States. , 2018, Applied ergonomics.

[113]  Gert-Åke Hansson,et al.  Evaluation of three principles for forklift steering: effects on physical workload , 2013 .

[114]  I Åkesson,et al.  Physical workload in neck, shoulders and wrists/hands in dental hygienists during a work-day. , 2012, Applied ergonomics.

[115]  Henrik Enquist,et al.  Hairdressers’ shoulder load when blow-drying – Studying the effect of a new blow dryer design on arm inclination angle and muscle pain , 2019, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics.

[116]  Monique H W Frings-Dresen,et al.  Work-related risk factors for specific shoulder disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis , 2017, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.