BackgroundPhysiotherapists are often affected by musculoskeletal disorders owing to the physically demanding nature of their occupation. However, ergonomic practice guidelines for patient management are lacking. Determining the extent to which physiotherapists apply ergonomic principles in practice is essential for developing appropriate prevention measures against musculoskeletal disorders.ObjectiveTo evaluate the knowledge and application of ergonomic principles among physiotherapists and to investigate the association between sociodemographic characteristics and ergonomics knowledge and application among physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia.MethodsA total of 386 licensed physiotherapists participated in this cross-sectional survey by completing a validated structured questionnaire. Multivariable models were constructed identify independent predictors of good ergonomics knowledge and practice.ResultsGood knowledge and practice of ergonomic principles were reported by 84.2% and 65.8% of the participants, respectively. Knowledge was significantly associated with region of residence (p < 0.05), whereas practice showed no significant association with demographic or professional factors (p > 0.05). Logistic regression revealed that living in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia was a predictor of better ergonomic knowledge (odds ratio [OR]: 9.36). Lower practice levels were associated with having a diploma or PhD (OR: 0.07 and 0.31 respectively).ConclusionsMost Saudi physiotherapists exhibit good knowledge and practice of ergonomic principles, with the physiotherapists living in the eastern region showing higher knowledge than those living in the central region. These findings suggest that ergonomic principles should be incorporated into the physiotherapy curriculum. Integration of ergonomic training in continuing education programs is essential for improved practice and cultivation of safer work environments.
Dental professionals are at risk of developing various occupational diseases and disorders, with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) being the most prevalent. This study examines the level of knowledge among dental hygienists (students, interns, and licensed practitioners) regarding dental ergonomic practices and investigates the prevalence, common locations, and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). A self-administered and validated bilingual (English/Arabic) questionnaire was constructed utilizing Google Forms and distributed to participants across all regions of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire included 35 closed-ended items and two open-ended questions, organized into three sections: demographic and professional data, ergonomic practices, and musculoskeletal symptoms. Data was analyzed using SPSS v.22.0. Descriptive statistics summarized categorical variables; chi-square tests enabled comparative analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was also performed to adjust for potential confounding variables. A total of 334 participants completed the survey. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders were reported by 95.3% (n = 201) of licensed dental hygienists and 80.5% (n = 99) of students, with the neck and lower back identified as the most affected regions. The most frequently reported pain site for both genders was the neck [females 63.4% (n = 117); males 64.9% (n = 96)], and tension neck syndrome was the most commonly diagnosed condition across the cohort (32.47%). Despite awareness of ergonomic principles, adherence to proper ergonomic practices remains limited. The findings emphasize the need for structured ergonomic education, early preventive interventions, and evidence-based workplace strategies to reduce occupational strain and improve the long-term health and professional sustainability of dental hygienists.
Head-mounted displays (HMDs) enable compelling immersive applications but often suffer from poor ergonomics that discourage prolonged wear. This study proposes a user-centered design methodology targeting three critical comfort factors, interface pressure, geometric fit, and thermal microclimate, in an HMD adapted to Chinese craniofacial characteristics and validated in a young adult cohort. An HMD prototype was developed by (i) re-routing load paths away from pressure-sensitive regions, (ii) accommodating a wide spectrum of Chinese craniofacial dimensions, and (iii) incorporating breathable interface materials. Eighteen adult volunteers evaluated the prototype during a standardized mixed-reality task. Outcome measures included muscle activity, virtual-fit deviation distance, microclimate temperature and humidity, as well as subjective comfort ratings. Compared with two commercial benchmarks, the developed prototype elicited significantly lower sternocleidomastoid muscle activation and smaller interface-to-face deviation, indicating improved load distribution and geometric conformity (p < 0.05). Microclimate temperature and humidity showed no significant differences among devices, suggesting that the breathable interface maintained thermal conditions comparable to existing products. Participants nonetheless reported significantly lower fatigue, pressure, ill-fit, and overall discomfort scores for the developed prototype (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate that the proposed ergonomics-driven approach yields substantial improvements in both objective and subjective comfort and can inform the next generation of HMDs and other head-worn systems.
The study aims to predict body as a function of seat pan (SPA) and seat back (SBA) angles for safety and comfort evaluation in the context of development of highly automated vehicles. Data were collected from thirteen participants testing eleven SBA and SPA combinations with SBA and SPA respectively varying from 20° to 60° (relative to the vertical) and from 14° to 40° (relative to the horizontal) using a reconfigurable experimental seat. Participants were instructed to adjust seat parameters for a relaxed seating position except those imposed by a test condition. Using the position of reflective markers captured by a motion capture system, manually palpated anatomical landmarks on the pelvis, and ischial tuberosities by pressure measurement, a global optimization method was applied to reconstruct body postures with help of a personalized kinematic model including the head, spine, pelvis and two lower limbs. Regression analysis showed that both SBA and SPA affect not only the orientation of body segments as expected, but also relative angles between segments (except cervical flexion). Different pelvic and spinal postures should be used even when laterally rotating the whole seat altogether with a constant seat back to seat pan angle. The proposed regression equations could be used for positioning postmortem human surrogates (PMHS) for physical tests or human body models (HBM) for safety or ergonomics digital simulations.
The decision ladder is a crucial tool of the Cognitive Work Analysis approach, but its potential as a framework for quantitative analysis of decision-making remains underexplored. This study describes a methodology of applying network analysis to work coded to the decision ladder. To exhibit this approach, it was applied to foster care treatment planning, a context with significant variability and important consequences for youth in care. Analysing the network structure of decision ladders, step length, and other measures provides insight into how these decisions are made and how this method can be leveraged to assess interventions, design training, and understand the nuances of a range of decision-making work. This study shows a method for assessing the decision-making processes of practitioners conducting cognitive work. While this study focuses on foster care treatment planning, the method could be applied to a variety of fields to support intervention and training development.
This paper introduces an advanced Internet of Things (IoT)-driven smart furniture system designed to dynamically adapt to individual users by integrating deep reinforcement learning with federated meta-learning. Personalization is formulated as a Markov decision process, enabling the system to make optimized, sequential adjustments tailored to each user's behavior. To estimate hidden ergonomic preferences in real time, an adaptive Kalman filter is applied, while a sparse autoencoder reduces raw sensor signals by 82 %, preserving key temporal features essential for accurate modeling. In a comprehensive user study involving 48 participants and more than 160,000 time-series sensor samples, the framework significantly reduced cumulative user dissatisfaction by 43 % and cut energy consumption by 21 %, compared with conventional rule-based control systems. Real-time adaptations occur with an average latency of 280 ms, and constraints for ergonomics are upheld in 95 % of use cases, confirming the system operates swiftly and safely. Federated learning (FL) enables privacy-preserving collaboration across distributed furniture units. Training converges to 87 % of global performance within 30 global iterations, without any raw data exchange, reinforcing both scalability and data privacy. These empirical results strongly support the framework's suitability for deployment in health-aware workspaces, smart homes, and eldercare environments, delivering a robust, responsive, and interpretable solution for enriching human-furniture interaction.
Video-based markerless motion capture is rapidly emerging as a valuable tool in biomechanics research, particularly within sports science, ergonomics, and clinical evaluations. Markerless motion capture offers greater versatility for capturing movement outside of laboratory settings and with minimal setup. This technique involves a series of steps to derive 3D joint angles from 2D video images: 2D keypoint identification, triangulation, and inverse kinematics. What methodologies are used at each step of the process from 2D images into 3D joint angles? This narrative review critically analyses the methodologies employed at each step of the process based on 12 methodological articles of the literature. These articles are representative of typical commercial or research approaches currently available. Most markerless approaches use OpenPose to identify the 2D keypoints, some of them correct their inconsistencies either in 2D or 3D or increase their number with augmented 3D landmarks. Few approaches use a confidence-weighted triangulation. Almost all of them perform multibody kinematics optimisation, classically tracking the 3D keypoints/landmarks, or maximising the confidence derived from all the images. This process shares certain similarities with traditional marker-based motion capture. The methodologies are adapted to a limited number of keypoints with unclear anatomical definition and potential physically implausible trajectories. The methodologies are also adapted to incorporate the confidence information. Most adaptations rely on neural networks complementary to the human pose estimators. Markerless motion capture methodologies are close to what is commonly applied to marker-based data acquired with opto-electronic cameras but mostly rely on data-driven statistical inference. The evaluation is currently limited to comparison with marker-based kinematics, mainly on young adults without pathology.
Ensuring a safe and healthy work environment remains a priority across industries, yet employees often perceive workplace hazards differently than standardized measurements suggest. This study investigates whether objective and subjective assessments of the work environment align, diverge, or complement each other in a practice setting. Objective data was obtained from 472 safety protocols from high-risk settings in the manufacturing sector covering noise, thermal environment, lighting, and ergonomic factors, spanning 1,285 employees. Subjective perceptions were collected via surveys completed by 547 employees, capturing self-reported exposure and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction captures overall work evaluation, reflecting both objective and subjective workplace factors. Distance-based statistics, including canonical correlation analysis, multidimensional scaling, and multiple regression, were applied to compare the two assessment approaches and explore their association with job satisfaction. Objective and subjective assessments showed a moderate overall correlation, yet the two approaches capture different facets of the work environment. Multidimensional scaling indicated that the hazards clustered largely by assessment approach or hazard type, suggesting each method illuminates distinct facets of the work environment. Moreover, incorporating both objective and subjective data explained more variance in job satisfaction than either approach alone, indicating complementarity in capturing employees' work experiences. Our findings indicate that relying solely on objective assessments may not capture the entire spectrum of environmental hazards. Subjective assessments offer a complementary perspective that standardized measurements miss. When combined, both approaches provide a more holistic view of hazard potential and its relationship to employee outcomes. These insights underscore the importance of embedding employee perceptions into risk assessment practices and work design strategies. Practitioners should consider supplementing objective measurements with employee self-reports to capture the multifaceted nature of hazards. This combined strategy can better pinpoint high-impact areas for intervention, thereby enhancing both risk mitigation and worker well-being.
As populations in developed countries continue to age, the shrinking workforce and rising dependency ratios pose a threat to productivity and economic stability. This study aims to analyze the relationship between aging, workforce participation, and economic growth, with a special emphasis on how healthcare systems and workforce-specific strategies, such as ergonomic adaptation, lifelong retraining, workplace healthcare delivery, and addressing societal misconceptions about aging, can mitigate premature workforce exit. A narrative review was conducted using international reports, policy analyses, and empirical studies from OECD countries. Comparative approaches were applied to examine workforce-oriented interventions and healthcare models, with a special focus on the sections "Policy Responses to Aging" and "Workforce Sustainability and Prevention", as well as "Healthy Aging Strategies". Findings indicate that robust healthcare systems enhance the functional capacity of older adults; however, this alone is insufficient to sustain productivity. Policies that integrate ergonomic adjustments into job design, opportunities for lifelong learning and retraining, workplace-based healthcare programs, and interventions targeting negative perceptions of aging significantly enhance workforce retention. Evidence from Germany, Japan, and Scandinavian countries suggests that combining healthcare investment with proactive workforce management can reduce premature retirement and maintain higher levels of labor participation. These findings highlight the critical interdependence between healthcare systems and labor market dynamics in aging societies. While a strong healthcare infrastructure supports the functional capacity of older adults, sustainable productivity requires the integration of ergonomic redesign, continuous learning, and workplace adaptability. Comparative evidence from OECD countries demonstrates that combining medical and policy measures yields superior outcomes. However, the diversity of healthcare financing models and cultural contexts limits the ability to make full generalizations. Sustainable economic growth in the face of demographic transitions requires aligning healthcare policy with workforce-specific strategies. Ergonomic redesign, lifelong learning, workplace healthcare delivery, and cultural change regarding aging are as critical as medical care in enabling older adults to remain active contributors to society. Together, these integrated approaches offer a roadmap for developed nations to balance demographic pressures with economic resilience.
Robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention (rPCI) was introduced in part to reduce occupational radiation exposure and improve ergonomics in the catheterization laboratory, while also offering potential procedural advantages. However, the comparative clinical value of rPCI versus manual PCI (mPCI) remains uncertain. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the relative effects of rPCI and mPCI on postprocedural outcomes, healthcare personnel radiation exposure, postprocedural complications, and follow-up outcomes. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to identify eligible studies published from January 2014 to January 2026. After rigorous study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment, quantitative synthesis was performed using RevMan 5.4. Odds ratios (ORs) were used for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MDs) for continuous outcomes. A random-effects model was applied when heterogeneity was significant (I²>50%); otherwise, a fixed-effects model was used. Compared with mPCI, rPCI was associated with a consistent reduction in operator radiation exposure. Patient- and procedure-related radiation indices, including dose-area product, air kerma, and fluoroscopy time, also tended to favor rPCI. Procedural duration was longer with rPCI, whereas contrast use was comparable between groups. rPCI was also associated with higher clinical success and postprocedural TIMI 3 flow, while technical success and coronary dissection rates were similar between groups. At 12-month follow-up, rPCI showed a trend toward lower rates of major adverse cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. The available data support a clear occupational safety advantage of rPCI and suggest favorable periprocedural safety and efficacy profiles, with potential clinical benefits. However, these findings, particularly for patient-level outcomes, should be considered hypothesis-generating rather than conclusive, as they are primarily derived from observational studies with limited sample sizes and require confirmation in larger randomized trials.
High quality nursing in intensive care units (ICU) depends on supportive and efficient work systems. Using a sequential exploratory design, and the systems engineering initiative for patient safety (SEIPS) model as a framework, interviews were conducted with fourteen experienced ICU nurses working in Fars, Iran to identify workplace barriers. The transcribed codes were collated into eighteen barriers which were categorized into the five components of the SEIPS model. Two decision-making methods (the analytic hierarchical process (AHP) and the fuzzy analytic hierarchical process (FAHP)) were then applied to rank the workplace barriers by importance. These yielded the same order at the SEIPS component and the within-component levels. There were differences in overall ranking of workplace barriers that reflected differences in the underlying weightings of the two methods. The most important barrier using AHP was organisational culture, and using FAHP was task demand, difficulty and complexity. These outcomes are discussed in terms of tailoring interventions that address the complexities of the ICU work environment for nurses.
Multitasking-defined as the more or less overlapping execution of two or more tasks-has been shown to impair performance and induce performance costs. Nevertheless, individuals frequently engage in multitasking for private and work-related purposes. This raises the question: Do subjective impressions about multitasking efficiency diverge from objective measures, or can multitasking indeed comprise benefits in certain conditions? While previous assessments of multitasking efficiency focused mostly on central processing limitations, they largely neglected benefits of parallel peripheral task processing in overlapping task execution. To address this empirically, we conducted two multitasking studies and compared Time on Task (ToT; Reissland & Manzey, 2016), that is, the total time needed to finish both sub-tasks, in an overlapping versus a sequential dual-task condition. Experiment 1 (N = 18) applied a Psychological Refractory Period (PRP) paradigm with distinct task sets in Task 1 and Task 2. Experiment 2 (N = 32) used identical task sets to maximize between-task interference in the overlapping dual-task condition. Results of both experiments showed shorter ToT in the overlapping compared to the sequential dual-task condition, without much evidence of compensatory effects. These results suggest that the assessment of multitasking efficiency should consider the total time on task needed to perform both tasks to capture the costs of central processing limitations as well as benefits of parallel peripheral task processing. They further underscore the importance of carefully selecting and justifying the chosen evaluation metrics when assessing multitasking efficiency.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) remain a critical occupational health challenge, particularly in high-force and repetitive professions such as Thai traditional massage. While conventional ergonomic assessments rely primarily on self-report and observational tools, there is a growing need for data-driven occupational health informatics approaches to enable real-time risk monitoring and preventive decision support. This study aimed (1) to determine the prevalence and predictors of WMSDs among Thai traditional massage practitioners and (2) to develop a data-driven occupational health informatics framework integrating ergonomic risk profiling with digital monitoring strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 396 certified practitioners working in 204 public health facilities in northeastern Thailand. Standardized instruments included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and the Body Discomfort Scale. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify significant predictors of WMSDs. The 7-day and 12-month prevalence of WMSDs were 75.0% and 81.31%, respectively. Significant predictors included years of massage experience (OR=4.29), low-level force exertion (∼50 pounds) (OR=4.04), neck extension or trunk hyperextension (OR=15.27), repetitive head movements (OR=5.28), lifting/transferring clients (OR=3.09), use of assistive devices, and adverse environmental conditions (p<0.05). Based on these findings, we propose a digital occupational health informatics framework integrating ergonomic risk stratification with wearable-based posture analytics and real-time feedback mechanisms. The framework supports the development of an assistive massage device incorporating force redistribution and posture-monitoring capabilities. Such data-driven innovations may enhance injury prevention, enable continuous ergonomic surveillance, and improve long-term occupational health sustainability in physically demanding healthcare professions.
Background: The widespread prevalence of neck pain (NP) is a serious healthcare and social problem, and the question of which components of physiotherapy are most effective is still valid. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the type of electrotherapy applied on the outcomes of complex physiotherapy administered to individuals with NP. Methods: In line with the study protocol, 100 individuals with NP were enrolled and randomly divided into four groups. All groups received kinesiotherapy and phototherapy. Additionally, each group also received electrotherapy treatment, which was a differentiating factor. Participants were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and after six months. The examination involved evaluation of pain using VAS and measurement of the cervical range of motion (ROM). Overall, seven parameters were assessed during each examination. Results: Pain intensity decreased in all individuals across the three study periods. A large effect size and changes exceeding the Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) were observed only in the electrotherapy groups. The improvement in cervical spine ROM was comparable in the HF and LF TENS groups in the short- and long-term perspectives; however, a greater number of effects (p < 0.05) was observed in the HF TENS group. TC resulted only in large and moderate short-term effects reflected by improvements in cervical spine ROM. In the PLACEBO group, moderate long-term effects were observed. Conclusions: Low-frequency currents appear to improve the analgesic effectiveness of complex physiotherapy implemented in individuals with NP. TC may provide better short-term effects compared to long-term effects reflected by improvements in cervical spinal ROM. The effects in the PLACEBO group may suggest that phototherapy and kinesiotherapy are more effective due to the continuation of exercise and the education in ergonomics of work.
This study investigated the effects of four cockpit rudder-pedal geometries on lower-limb muscle activation, plantar-pressure distribution, and perceived comfort during simulated civil-aviation flight tasks. Employing a within-participant design in a simulator configured to the COMAC C919 cockpit layout, these configurations were assessed using 30 male trainee pilots. Results showed that the forefoot-elevated configuration (Shape-3) reduced calf-muscle loading and redistributed plantar pressure while improving overall comfort; conversely, thigh-muscle activation was not significantly affected by pedal geometry. Adjusting rudder-pedal geometry may therefore help modulate lower-limb load and improve operational comfort without compromising mission completion. Under short-duration simulated-task conditions, these findings provide empirical evidence to inform ergonomics-oriented cockpit rudder-pedal design.
Objective: To validate the applicability of the ACGIH hand activity level (HAL) model for wrist risk assessment among manufacturing workers in China, and to provide scientific evidence for optimizing occupational health risk assessment methods. Methods: From August 1 to October 1, 2024, a study was conducted using cluster random sampling combined with stratified sampling to select 66 male workers from the final assembly workshop of an automobile manufacturing enterprise as research subjects. Occupational health surveys and surface electromyography (sEMG) measurements were employed to obtain HAL and normalized peak force (NPF) data. Using the internationally recognized occupational repetitive actions (OCRA) index as the reference standard, methods such as Spearman rank correlation, weighted Kappa test, ordered logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were applied to evaluate the correlation, consistency, goodness of fit, and discriminative power of the two indicators. Results: The median age of the study subjects was 30.00 (29.00, 32.00) years old, and the median length of service was 10.00 (9.00, 10.00) years. The reported incidence of wrist pain or discomfort within the past year was 28.8% (19/66), and the incidence of hand injury was 24.2% (16/66). The HAL, NPF, and OCRA indices all showed significant positive correlations (r(s)=0.92, 0.87, P<0.001). The risk stratification method established in this study exhibited a weighted Kappa value of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.77-0.96, P<0.001) compared to the OCRA risk stratification, indicating good consistency. Multivariate ordered logistic regression analysis revealed that after controlling for confounding factors such as age, length of service, height, and body mass index, both HAL and NPF were independently positively correlated with OCRA risk levels, with adjusted OR values of 27.52 (95%CI: 3.89-195.20, P<0.001) and 18.69 (95%CI: 1.62-215.94, P=0.019), respectively. The model Nagelkerke R(2)=0.91, demonstrating good fit. ROC analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) for high-risk OCRA in HAL, NPF, and their combined model was 0.94, 0.91, and 0.95, respectively. The sensitivity corresponding to the optimal cutoff values was 88.9%, 100.0%, and 94.4%, while specificity reached 97.9%, 77.1%, and 93.7%, demonstrating excellent discriminative performance. Conclusion: HAL and NPF may serve as effective quantitative indicators for repetitive or forceful wrist work risks among automotive manufacturing workers. Their risk classification method shows good consistency with OCRA and is applicable for on-site rapid screening and risk assessment of occupational carpal tunnel syndrome. 目的： 验证手腕部重复或用力作业模型在我国制造业人群手腕部风险评估中的适用性，为相关职业健康风险评估方法的优化提供科学依据。 方法： 于2024年8月1日至10月1日，采用分层整群随机抽样的方法，选取某汽车制造企业总装车间66名男性劳动者为研究对象，通过职业卫生调查、表面肌电技术测量获取手腕部活动水平（hand activity level，HAL）、标化峰值力（normalized peak force，NPF）数据，以国际通用的职业性重复动作（occupational repetitive actions，OCRA）指数为参照标准，采用Spearman秩相关、加权Kappa检验、有序logistic回归、受试者工作特征（receiver operating characteristic，ROC）曲线等方法，分析两个指标的关联性、一致性、拟合优度及区分度。 结果： 研究对象年龄M（Q(1)，Q(3)）为30.00（29.00，32.00）岁，工龄为10.00（9.00，10.00）年；近1年手腕部疼痛或不适报告率为28.8%（19/66），手部损伤发生率为24.2%（16/66）。HAL、NPF与OCRA指数均呈正相关（r(s)=0.92、0.87，P<0.001）；研究建立的手腕部重复或用力作业模型风险分级方法与OCRA风险分级的加权Kappa值为0.86（95%CI：0.77~0.96，P<0.001），一致性好。多因素有序logistic回归分析显示，控制年龄、工龄、身高、体质指数等混杂因素后，HAL、NPF均与OCRA风险等级呈正向关联，调整后OR值分别为27.52（95%CI：3.89~195.20，P<0.001）、18.69（95%CI：1.62~215.94，P=0.019）；模型Nagelkerke R(2)=0.91，拟合效果良好。ROC分析显示，HAL、NPF及两者联合模型对OCRA高风险的曲线下面积（area under the curve，AUC）分别为0.94、0.91、0.95，最佳临界值对应的敏感度分别为88.9%、100.0%、94.4%，特异度分别为97.9%、77.1%、93.7%，均具有良好的区分效能。 结论： HAL与NPF可作为汽车制造业劳动者手腕部重复或用力作业风险的有效量化指标，其风险分级方法与OCRA一致性良好，可用于职业性腕管综合征的现场快速筛查与风险评估。.
As standalone VR HMDs advance, opportunities for VR use during travel, referred to as in-car VR, have expanded. However, motion sickness triggered by sensory conflict between visual and vestibular inputs, remains a major barrier to its adoption. This study proposes vehicle-synchronized rotational peripheral (VSRP) cues to minimize sensory conflict between perceived and actual vehicle movement while preserving primary task performance. Fifteen participants experienced two conditions, control and VSRP, while performing a color detection task in a moving vehicle. Results showed that VSRP cues led to a 33% reduction in the total Simulator Sickness Questionnaire score without compromising task performance. Furthermore, because this method relies solely on the IMU embedded in the HMD, it eliminates the need for additional hardware and improves portability. These findings demonstrate that VSRP cues can extend the duration of in-car VR by reducing occupant discomfort and may be applied to diverse VR activities requiring sustained attention, such as reading or video watching.
Falls during ladder climbing can result in severe injuries. Foot slipping is a common initiating event of these falls. The available coefficient of friction (ACOF) and the required coefficient of friction (RCOF) are typically indicators of slip propensity. This study aimed to quantify the ability of shoe-rung frictional measures (ACOF, ACOF - RCOF) to predict slip outcomes during ladder climbing. ACOF values were obtained for eight ladder rungs in the presence of a liquid through mechanical slip-testing using three sets of testing parameters: generic, biofidelic, and subject-specific. RCOF values were obtained through baseline climbing trials. Then, a liquid contaminant was applied to create unexpected slippery conditions. Logistic regression analyses were used to model the impact of the frictional measures on slip outcomes in this contaminant trial. Lower ACOF values were associated with higher probabilities of slip outcomes. ACOF values obtained from biofidelic and subject-specific testing conditions (ACOFB and ACOFSS) were the best predictors, while ACOF - RCOF was not predictive of slip outcomes. Ladder rung designs with sufficient friction (especially non-slip rungs with rectangular cross-sections) can prevent slip events and the developed biofidelic testing parameters provide an opportunity to measure this risk.
Conventional surgical instruments are often designed based on assumptions regarding hand size and grip strength that may not reflect the physical characteristics of all surgeons. Circular staplers require substantial manual force during firing and may be associated with perceived ergonomic burden and psychological stress during anastomosis. Powered circular staplers have been introduced to reduce manual effort; however, limited information is available regarding surgeons' subjective experiences with these devices. This exploratory study aimed to examine perceived ergonomic and psychological experiences related to powered circular stapler use among female gastrointestinal surgeons in Japan. This small exploratory cross-sectional survey used an anonymous web-based survey conducted between January and March 2021. Female gastrointestinal surgeons in Japan with experience using powered circular staplers were recruited through professional networks using a snowball sampling approach. The survey focused on self-reported perceptions of ergonomic workload, psychological stress during stapler firing, and usability impressions of powered circular staplers. Given the exploratory design and limited sample size, analyses were descriptive only and no inferential statistics were applied. Twenty-five female surgeons responded to the survey. Thirteen respondents (52%) reported that some surgical instruments were too large for their hands, and 20 surgeons (80%) perceived strength limitations with some devices. With conventional manual circular staplers, most participants (24/25, 96%) required both hands to fire the device and reported stress or perceived instability during firing. Among respondents with experience using powered circular staplers, many reported that the devices were easier to handle and less stressful. Sixteen surgeons (64%) reported perceived single-hand operability, and a similar proportion reported perceived improvements in procedural stability. Qualitative comments indicated subjective impressions of reduced physical effort and anxiety. In this small exploratory survey, powered circular staplers were perceived by female gastrointestinal surgeons as being easier to handle and less stressful to use during anastomosis. These findings reflect self-reported perceptions rather than objective ergonomic or clinical outcomes, and causal relationships cannot be established. These findings are hypothesis-generating and suggest that further studies incorporating objective ergonomic measurements and broader surgeon populations are warranted.
Background/Objectives: Promoting postural health in children requires not only adequate knowledge but also the implementation of health-promoting behaviors in the school environment. Teachers play a key role in this process; however, the extent to which their knowledge is reflected in everyday practice remains unclear. The study aimed to analyze and compare the levels of knowledge among preschool, early school, and physical education teachers regarding postural health in children and adolescents, including postural abnormalities, ergonomics, the selection of corrective exercises, and behaviors that promote correct body posture. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 153 teachers in Poland: 24 preschool (P), 53 early school education (EE), and 76 physical education (PE) teachers. The self-report Teachers' Body Posture Literacy Questionnaire (TBPLQ) was used to assess knowledge regarding postural abnormalities. Results: PE achieved the highest TBPLQ scores, with significant differences observed mainly in comparison with EE (r = 0.30-0.50, p < 0.001). Across all groups, teachers performed best in recognizing postural abnormalities and worst in selecting appropriate corrective exercises. Although knowledge levels were relatively high, only weak correlations were found between knowledge and postural hygiene-promoting behaviors. The largest behavioral differences concerned the use of appropriate sportswear during physical education classes (η2 > 0.14). Conclusions: Teachers demonstrated relatively high levels of knowledge regarding posture health. However, a clear knowledge-behavior gap was identified. Knowledge was only partially translated into proactive health-promoting actions, particularly regarding corrective interventions and communication with parents. The results suggest the need for educational initiatives for teachers focusing on proactive health-promoting and postural hygiene behaviors.