OBJECTIVES In order to reveal the effectiveness of the intervention in the workplace on patients suffering from cervicobrachial disorder (CBD), we reexamined 96 workers out of 137 workers suffering from CBD on the assembly lines of an electric manufacturing factory by using questionnaires, physical exams and neurological exams. METHODS Analyses were made of the characteristics of the 96 workers of this company suffering from 1994 to 1996 with special concern for differences before and after the improvement of the working environment. After reexamination of the 96 patients the following results were obtained. RESULTS We observed an improvement in the 10 most common subjective symptoms of CBD. These symptoms included general fatigue, pain on neck and shoulders, dullness of the upper extremities, back pain and discomfort and a tingling sensation in the hands and wrists (p < 0. 05). The percentage of workers who complained muscle tenderness of neck and shoulder were reduced (p < 0.05). the percentage of workers with abnormal Morley examination was reduced from 28. 5% to 2. 100 (p < 0.01), and of workers with abnormal EMG finding went from 12. 4% to 2. lao (p < 0. 01) and of grade 3 and grade 4 CBD was reduced from 42. 3% and 18. 3% respectively to 33. 3% and 2. ba (p < 0. 01). Grade 3 and over laborers of CBD had higher scores in somatization, anxiety, depression, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, phobic anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, neurasthenic, hypochondriacal than other sufferers in the SCL-90-R exam (p < 0. 01). CONCLUSIONS in conclusion intervention had effectiveness on subjective symptoms of neck and shoulder and decreasing abnormal finding of muscle tenderness, neurological examination and EMG.
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Working postures in 116 microwave-oven assemblers were measured and analysed using postural load scores of body parts in 137 workers complaining the cervicobrachial syndrome (CBS). The relationship between postural load scores of body parts and the grades of CBS was observed. Results were summarized as follows. 1. The height of work-table and work-seat, the thumb tip reach, the shoulder angle, the elbow angle and the forward bending angle of body trunk exceeded the recommended level and therefore they seemed to impose increased static postural loads on muscles of neck and shoulder as well as static and/or dynamic load on arm and hand muscles. 2. The postural load score of shoulder in grade II was significantly lower than that in grade III-2 and IV and those of elbow, neck+shoulder, elbow+wrist and upper extremity were significantly lower in grade II than in grade Iv. These results suggested that the awkward working postures were associated with the occurrence of CBS as well as the severity of CBS.
To find the severity and the type of the cervicobrachial syndrome, through physical examinations and laboratory tests were made toward 137 patients complaining the cervicobrachial syndrome (CBS) through the health interview among 313 workers occupied in a microwave-oven assembling factory from December 1993 to February 1994. Results were as follows.
1. The prevalence of spontaneous pain was 94.9%, while 78.1% suffered from muscle tenderness, 63.5% suffered from muscle induration and 62.0% showed kinesalgia. 54.7% of patients showed positive cervical X-ray findings and 28.5% showed positive Morley test.
2. The muscle induration was associated with the total duration of the job among female workers.
3. The severity of neck tenderness was negatively correlated with the strength of the grip at both hands, positively correlated with the duration of overtime in male and the severity of the wrist tenderness was negatively correlated with the height in female.
4. X-ray findings, muscle induration, Morley test results, muscle tenderness on the neck and muscle tenderness on the shoulder were associated with subjective symptoms of the workers.5. The muscle tenderness was associated with the number of the complaints at upper extremities among the sufferings in daily life significantly and the electromyogram (EMG) finding was associated with; the number of the complaints: about neuropsychological system among the sufferings in daily life significantly.
In conclusion, the results of the physical examination were related with the subjective symptoms of the cervicobrachial syndrome. The muscle induration, the muscle tenderness, cervical X-ray findings and the Morley test results were more useful for the diagnosis of CBS. More efforts to objectify the subjective symptoms were asked.
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To find the characteristics of the subjective symptoms and its related factors among the patients with the cervicobrachial syndrome, an interview survey was made toward 137 patients complaining the symptoms in cervicobrachial area out of 313 workers occupied in a microwave-oven assembling factory from December 1993 to February 1994. Results were as follows : 1. The patients were classified by the severity of the syndrome as 6 persons (4.4%) at grade I (the mildest grade), 48 persons (35.0%) at grade II, 47 persons (34.4%) at grade III-1, 11 persons (8.0%) at grade III-2 and 25 persons (18.2%) at grade IV.
2. Only 3.6% of the total patients under the study felt the main symptoms of the cervicobrachial syndrome 36 months before this study, and then the number of patients increased gradually, but the incidence of the syndrome increased suddenly from 25.1% to 74.9% since the factory had elevated the height of the belt conveyer-worktables from 75.0cm to 87.7 cm 13 months before the study.
3. Although the higher percentage of the female workers felt the subjective symptoms including the pain at the neck and shoulder, the discomfort or pain at the back and the discomfort or pain at the wrist or the finger than male workers significantly (p<0.05). The male workers, however, showed more abnormal X-ray findings than the female workers significantly (p<0.05).
4. Between the prevalence of the cervicbbrachial syndrome and the number of actual workers occupied at the factory during last-24 months, a negative correlation (r=-0.508~r=-0.665) was observed.
5. The measured workplace environment of the studied factory (average temperature: 13.3 degrees C, average noise: 78.8 dB, average illumination: 241.4 Lux) was the poorer condition than the recommended level (17degrees C or more, lower than 75 dB and 400 Lux or more).
6. Neither items to check the cervicobrachial syndrome during the entrance and health maintenance examinations nor early treatment program for the syndrome were found, at the factory.
In conclusion, the primary cause of the cervicobrachial syndrome of the workers were considered due to their repeated monotonous motions on the neck, the shoulder, the arms and the hands for a long duration (2-3 years) with the uncomfortable working posture under the uncomfortable workplace environments, and the condition got aggravated due to the inappropriated health management program for its secondary prevention.
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Physical examinations including muscle tenderness and neurological tests, were performed on two hundred ninety international telephone operators and their relations with work conditions and subjective symptoms were analyzed.
The results obtained were as follows: 1. The prevalence of muscle tenderness was significantly higher in the shoulder and the arms than in other parts of body.
2. No difference of prevalence of muscle tenderness was noted according to the age of workers.
3. The prevalence of muscle tenderness on the shoulder and the arms significantly increased after the work duration of 5 years.
4. Muscle tenderness on the arm, the neck and the shoulder were dominant in the right side.
5. The prevalences of paraesthesia on right shoulder and right arm were higher than those on other parts of body.
6. A significant linear association was noted between the number of tender areas and positive response to questions.
7. The prevalences of positive Spurling test and Morley test were higher in the work duration group of 15 years and more.
8. It seemed that muscle tenderness examination and Morley test were more useful for the diagnosis of cervicobrachial disorders.
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A questionnaire study was carried out on 290 international telephone operators to find Out their characteristics of musculoskeletal symptoms in relation to work conditions (work posture, work load etc.) and work duration. Results were as follows: 1. The C7-earhole angle, the elbow angle, the left arm abduction angle and the right arm abduction angle all did not meet the recommended criteria and, therefore, seemed to have increased the static load of muscles of the neck, the shoulder and the arms.
2. The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints was higher in the shoulder and the arms which followed by the neck, the lower hack, the hands and fingers, the hack and the lower limbs.
3. The prevalences of musculoskeletal complaints in the hack and the lower hack increased significantly, as the work duration extended over 5 years.
4. In general, the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints tended to be lower among habitual exercise group than others.
5. In view of the high prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints even among those with short work experience, it seemed necessary to introduce an adequate control program of cervicobrachial disorders from an early stage of employment.
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