Ergonomic scissors for hairdressing

Abstract

For decades, hairstyles have been plagued with repetitive motion injuries (RMI). To alleviate RMI symptoms and improve body mechanics, Chiavaras and Neimken designed a hairdressing scissors that incorporates some of the characteristics of an ergonomically designed tool. The scissors, which were patented by the United States Patent Office and titled Ergonomic Tool Design (ETD) Scissors, were evaluated to determine if there were significant differences between this design and the standard scissors for hairstylist's preference and potential pain and risk reduction. Forty-four volunteer subjects were used. Since data were heterogeneous, Satterwaite's statistical approximation was applied ( α=0.05). Subjects preferred the ETD scissors to the traditional scissors and reported less shoulder and wrist pain. Subjects who used the ETD scissors had significantly higher grip strength than when they used the traditional scissors. Subjects also reported significantly less bending in the wrist when using the ETD scissors. The ETD scissors allowed for the preferred hair growth cut to be completed with ease. Relevance to industry Scissors are an essential hand tool for any hairstylist. Standard scissors are straight or have only a slight curve in their design and require the hairstylist to continually bend the wrist or contort the body. The repetitive use of the fingers and forearms of any scissors operation places a great deal of stress on the tendons that run through carpal tunnel. Since traditional scissors rarely allow the hand to be in the neutral position, this bent posture aggravates the already stressed tendons placing the operator at risk for injury. The ETD scissors significantly reduce the time the wrist is bent. Conversely, they increase the time the wrist is in the neutral position. Thus, hairstylist who uses these scissors for long periods should experience reduced risk of occurring RMI and CTS symptoms.