Skip to main content

Table 3 Distribution of biomechanical risks for shoulder symptoms

From: Work-related and personal factors in shoulder disorders among electronics workers: findings from an electronics enterprise in Taiwan

 

Shoulder symptoms

No shoulder symptoms

 

Variables

n = 284

n = 647

p-value

Repetition risk

 Repeating the same motions every few seconds

135

(47.5%)

199

(30.8%)

< 0.01

 A sequence of movements repeated more than twice per minute

146

(51.4%)

220

(34.0%)

< 0.01

 More than 50% of the cycle time involved in performing the same sequence of motions

157

(55.3%)

249

(38.5%)

< 0.01

Posture risk

 Large range of joint movement such as side to side or up and down

59

(20.8%)

107

(16.5%)

0.12

 Awkward or extreme joint positions

53

(18.7%)

54

(8.3%)

< 0.01

 Joints held in fixed positions

126

(44.4%)

169

(26.1%)

< 0.01

 Stretching to reach items or controls

115

(40.5%)

201

(31.1%)

< 0.01

 Twisting or rotating items or controls

113

(39.8%)

177

(27.4%)

< 0.01

 Working overhead

59

(20.8%)

90

(13.9%)

< 0.01

Force risk

 Pushing, pulling, moving things (including with the fingers or thumb)

140

(49.3%)

244

(37.7%)

< 0.01

 Grasping/gripping

146

(51.4%)

240

(37.1%)

< 0.01

 Pinch grips i.e. holding or grasping objects between thumb and finger

98

(34.5%)

177

(27.4%)

0.03

 Steadying or supporting items or work pieces

78

(27.5%)

142

(21.9%)

0.07

 Shock and/or impact being transmitted to the body from tools or equipment

35

(12.3%)

50

(7.7%)

0.03

 Objects creating localized pressure on any part of the upper limb

50

(17.6%)

68

(10.5%)

< 0.01

Vibration risk

 Use any powered hand-held or hand-guided tools or equipment/ hand-feed work pieces to vibrating equipment

29

(10.2%)

51

(7.9%)

0.24