Long-Haul Logistic Truck Drivers’ Physiological Fatigue on Low Back and Shoulder: A Primary Exploration

Abstract

Logistics sector plays a key role in running economy and trade. Long-haul trucks’ drivers need to perform the prolonged driving task with multiple risks of musculoskeletal disorders hazards. This study aimed to primarily explore physiological fatigue focusing on low back and shoulder of a group of ten long-haul logistic truck drivers. Muscle strength measurements via maximum voluntary contraction were employed as a basic quantitative indicts. The investigation was conducted before and after the long-distance real driving tasks covering the area between the special eastern economic corridor zone and Bangkok, Thailand (usually taking around 10–12 h for a round service). By comparing the results before and after, both low back and shoulder muscle strength tests showed statistically significant decreases of the maximum voluntary contraction (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, differential decrease percentage among low back and shoulder demonstrated no statistically significant difference (p = 0.646). All results suggested that relevant countermeasures needed to be taken in to accounts in order to minimize the involving risk factors. And this also confirmed that fitness test using muscle strength measurements helps primarily explore the physiological fatigue but to acquire the particular amount of fatigue occurring on related muscles, deeper information is still needed. By this, and with this particular task, electromyography investigation method still remains superior.