Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Case Report

A case of extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon rupture in an automotive assembly line worker: an ergonomic evaluation through job strain index (JSI) and musculoskeletal risk factor survey: Sunwook Park, Jungwon Kim; Ann Occup Environ Med 2019;31:e2. Published online May 1, 2019; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2019.31.e2

Background

We report a case of extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon rupture caused by repetitive motions and awkward posture on hand and wrist joints.

Case presentation

A 47-year-old right-handed man who worked for 15 years in an assembly line at an automotive manufacturing company has been diagnosed with a complete tear of right EPL tendon. We investigated the patient's occupational history in detail and evaluated the tasks ergonomically through musculoskeletal risk factors survey and job strain index (JSI) using the 22 task-related videos recorded by the patient. Three out of the 12 tasks (25%) were identified as high-risk work on the hand and wrist in the musculoskeletal risk factors survey in 2016. Among the 22 tasks analyzed by JSI, 11 tasks (50%) were evaluated as probably hazardous. In addition, he used localized vibration tools in 19 (86.4%) out of 22 tasks.

Conclusion

We concluded the patient's disease was probably caused by repetitive motion and improper posture of the hand and wrist, and the hand-arm vibration is a possible cause as well.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Erhebung der arbeitsplatzbezogenen subjektiven Belastungs- und Beanspruchungssituation von Akkord- und Fließbandarbeitern im Versandhandel
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Zentralblatt für Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
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BioMed Research International.2021; 2021: 1. CrossRef

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Original Article

The Relationship between psychosocial stress and Work-related Musculoskeletal Symptoms of Assembly Line Workers in the Automobile industry: Il Ryong Kim, Jae Young Kim, Jong Tae Park, Jae Wook Choi, Hae Joon Kim, Yong Tae Yeom; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2001;13(3):220-231. Published online September 30, 2001; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2001.13.3.220

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
To determine the relationship between stress Factors and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms of assembly line workers in the automobile industry.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in two Factories of automobile manufacturing companies where inappropriate posture and repetitive motions were required. The total number of subjects was 636, and consisted entirely of men. The Age, length of work duration, marital status, education level, smoking status, drinking status, sleeping time and stress scores were investigated according to subgroups of general characteristics. We divided the subjects into a Reference group and a Stress risk group to compare the frequency of the variables between them. The stress scores of the Positive symptom group were compared with the Symptom free group by the t-test. To measure the stress level, the PWI(Psychosocial Well being Index) which consists of 4 Factors, totaling 45 items, was used. A standardized self-reported questionnaire was used to assess the symptoms in workers. The criteria for positive symptoms were based on Operational Definition of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders of the NIOSH.
RESULTS
1) The subgroups of Age, Work duration, Marital status, Education level, Smoking status, Drinking status and Sleeping time revealed no differences in frequencies in musculoskeletal symptoms. 2) Higher PWI(p<0.05), Factor 3(p<0.05) and Factor 4(p<0.01) scores were observed in younger workers compared with older workers. 3) The workers who had work durations between 11-15 years showed higher PWI(p<0.01), Factor 2(p<0.01), Factor 3(p<0.01), and Factor 4(p<0.01), compared with other work duration subgroups. 4) Singles had higher Factor 4 scores(p<0.01). 5) The sleeping time of less than 6 hours a day expressed a higher PWI(p<0.01), Factor 2(p<0.05), and Factor 3(p<0.01), Factor 4(p<0.05). 6) There was no difference in the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms between the Reference group and Stress risk group. 7) The subjects who had Positive musculoskeletal symptoms showed a significant difference in Factor 2 scores compared with the Symptom free groups. 8) According to a univariate logistic regression analysis, Factor 2(OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.04, p-value: 0.0291) expressed significant but mild effects on the musculoskeletal symptoms and a multivariate logistic regression showed a statistically significant effect on musculoskeletal symptoms(OR:1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07, p-value: 0.0170).
CONCLUSION
Psychosocial stress scores were not higher in symptomatic subjects compared with those who had no symptoms. Sleeping longer showed a protective effect on symptoms but this was not statistically significant. There was no relationship between the stress scores and musculoskeletal symptoms in social performance and self-confidence, general well-being and vitality. Factor 2(Depression) was statistically significant though its effect was mild. Limited to this study, We could find partial relationship between psychosocial stress(Depression) and musculoskeletal symptoms. So it could therefore be suspected that ergonomic or other unknown factors may be more significant causes of musculoskeletal symptoms but we did not investigate these.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms and Its Related Factors among Male Workers in Manufacturing Industries
Seung-Hyun Lee, Young-Chae Cho
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2015; 16(10): 6627. CrossRef
A Study on the Work Ability and the Job Stress of the Workers in Manufacturing Industry of Automobile Parts
Yun-Soo Mok, Dong Won Lee, Seong Rok Chang
Journal of the Korean Society of Safety.2013; 28(3): 100. CrossRef
Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms and Related Factors among Male Workers in Small-scale Manufacturing Industries
Seung-Hyun Lee, Ju-Yeon Lee, Young-Chae Cho
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2012; 13(9): 4025. CrossRef
Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Agricultural Workers
Soo-Jin Lee, Hwan-Jin Park
Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea.2011; 30(4): 525. CrossRef

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