Anthropometric Fitness Research Articles

Transport and mining machinery cabins’ ergonomic evaluation as a path to its redesign

Transport and mining machinery cabins are still not well adapted to their users, while checklists for their evaluation are not common in the literature. This article proposes a new checklist for ergonomic evaluation and tests its universality empirically with a sample of 96 transport and mining machine operators. The objective of the article is two-fold. First, the article checks whether there are anthropometric dimension differences between different machines’ operators. Second, statistical significance testing regarding items in the proposed checklist is performed to check its universality. Significant differences have not been found between anthropometric dimensions of transport and mining machine operators. Group comparisons prove that mining machines have better ergonomics characteristics of the chair, manual controls and vision field. The recommendation for crane designers is to examine mining machines solutions and analyze the possibility of adapting these solutions, due to anthropometric fit. Wide usage of the checklist is recommended.

Anthropometric Profile of Age Level & National Level Female Gymnasts In Bangladesh

Introduction: Each sport has a unique anthropometric profile that may be distinguished based on the position, function, or event type within each sport discipline. Anthropometric measurements of gymnasts are important because they play a crucial role in their athletic performance. There isn't much research on gymnastics in Bangladesh. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine the anthropometric fitness traits of age-level and national-level female gymnasts in Bangladesh. Methods: A total of 20 female gymnasts from Bangladesh Krira Sikkha Protisthan (BKSP) were recruited for the study, divided into two groups: 10 age-level gymnasts and 10 national-level gymnasts. Their ages ranged from 15 to 18 years. The International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry has outlined certain techniques for taking kinanthropometric measurements. The anthropometric characteristics, including height, weight, arm length, leg length, shoulder width, hip circumference& sitting height, were analysed, and the results obtained from the two groups were compared by the analysed "t-test" (p < 0.05). Results: The results indicate that the national-level gymnasts had significantly lower BMI and body fat percentages compared to the age-level gymnasts. Additionally, the study found that age-level gymnasts had significantly higher body fat percentages compared to national-level gymnasts. Conclusion: This study’s findings suggest a significant difference in the anthropometric profile of female gymnasts in Bangladesh between age-level and national-level athletes. These findings could be useful for coaches and athletes in designing training programs and optimizing performance for female gymnasts in Bangladesh.

School Furniture and Anthropometric Fit, the Gap Between Theory and Practice

School Furniture and Anthropometric Fit, the Gap Between Theory and Practice

Development of an ergonomic protective suit for physiotherapists during the COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the provision of appropriate protective clothing for medical staff who must continue to perform their duties at this period is of particular importance. Physiotherapists are not allowed to suspend working during this time either, and the specifics of their work is close contact with the patient within various movements during the therapy process. Inadequate (intended for general use) protective clothing affects work capacity in the aspects of movement restriction, thermal comfort and thereby increasing energy consumption. For the design and supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and protective clothing of the best possible quality, PPE should be explored in a systemic approach (holistics) to assess anthropometric fit and ergonomics, material properties and thermal performance. This study investigated anthropometric characteristics of target group representatives; sizing, fit and design flaws of protective suits for physiotherapists; provision of mobility in the protective clothing of physiotherapists; the protective suit fabric layer interaction with the human body and the importance of subjective evaluation of fit and ergonomics of PPE (made by specialists and wearers). The results of the study promote the usage of objective knowledge of anthropometry and ergonomics as well as subjective assessment findings in the development of protective suits for physiotherapists.

Eastern bodies in western cockpits: An anthropometric study in the Oman military aviation

Abstract Anthropometric selection standards of aviators in the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) were assimilated from the selection standards utilized by western defence forces and aircraft manufacturers. Gradual Omanization of RAFO aircrew has led to the placement of eastern bodies in western cockpits and hence high recruit rejection rates due to incompatible anthropometric standards. This study was carried out to gain some evidence-based data on this domain. The anthropometric data of 2,296 Omani recruits from 2003 to 2012 were collected and statistical analysis was performed to analyze the distribution of anthropometrically fit and unfit candidates. 86% (n = 1,968) fulfilled the RAFO anthropometric fitness standards for aircrew duties and the remaining 14% (n = 328) were unfit due to non-compliance in one or many of the anthropometric parameters. 7% (n = 158) of the candidates had standing height below 165 cm and 3/4th (n = 112) of these candidates were unfit in one or many of the other RAFO anthropometric parameters. This study has provided a platform to understand the discrepancies involved in selection of eastern bodies for western cockpits. This also adds impetus to the concept of periodical updating of military recruitment standards to aid the development of the ideal man-machine interface. This approach will take into account national policy, the significant trends in body sizes of the general population and the procured aircraft profile of the country.

The Use of 2 Conditioning Programs and the Fitness Characteristics of Police Academy Cadets.

Police academy training must physically prepare cadets for the rigors of their occupational tasks to prevent injury and allow them to adequately perform their duties. To compare the effects of 2 physical training programs on multiple fitness measures in police cadets. Cohort study. Police training academy. We collected data from 70 male (age = 27.4 ± 5.9 years, body weight = 85.4 ± 11.8 kg) and 20 female (age = 30.5 ± 5.8 years, body weight = 62.8 ± 11.0 kg) police cadets and analyzed data from 61 male cadets (age = 27.5 ± 5.5 years, body weight = 87.7 ± 13.2 kg). Participants completed one of two 6-month training programs. The randomized training group (RTG; n = 50), comprising 4 separate and sequential groups (n = 13, n = 11, n = 13, n = 13), completed a randomized training program that incorporated various strength and endurance exercises chosen on the day of training. The periodized group (PG; n = 11) completed a periodized training program that alternated specific phases of training. Anthropometric fitness measures were body weight, fat mass, and lean body mass. Muscular and metabolic fitness measures were 1-repetition maximum bench press, push-up and sit-up repetitions performed in 1 minute, vertical jump, 300-m sprint, and 2.4-km run. The RTG demonstrated improvements in all outcome measures between pretraining and posttraining; however, the improvements varied among the 4 individual RTGs. Conversely, the PG displayed improvements in only 3 outcome measures (push-ups, sit-ups, and 300-m sprint) but approached the level of significance set for this study (P < .01) in body weight, fat mass, and 1-repetition maximum bench press. Regardless of format, physical training programs can improve the fitness of tactical athletes. In general, physical fitness measures appeared to improve more in the RTG than in the PG. However, this observation varied among groups, and injury rates were not compared.

Anthropometric fit evaluation of firefighters' uniform pants: A sex comparison

This study identified anthropometric fit issues associated with a female firefighter's uniform pants. Eighteen firefighters (nine females and nine males) participated in a multidimensional fit assessment protocol, consisting of a subjective comfort survey, 3D body scanning, and exit interview. Mann–Whitney U tests were performed to compare sex differences in the survey and 3D scan data, along with descriptive and qualitative analyses. Female firefighters showed significantly lower survey ratings on overall satisfaction, perceived comfort, and performance of their turnout pants. Three-dimensional body scan data affirmed anatomical sex differences in baseline body measurements, and determined specific landmark areas that caused discomfort in female firefighters while wearing station and turnout pants. Interview data supported the findings from the quantitative measures. Results demonstrated that female firefighters experienced poorer fit and a higher level of discomfort with their uniform pants than male firefighters. The outcomes of this study suggest scientific evidence of the anthropometric fit problems associated with firefighter PPE, which is anticipated to help policymakers and the manufacturing industry enhance occupational safety regulations and improve fit and sizing systems especially for female firefighters who wear uniforms designed based on the male physique.

Predicting Product Accommodation: The Role of the Anthropometric Fit Test

Anthropometry is often considered in product design, but less often in prototype testing. This paper focuses on how to design, conduct and analyse a test that will consider user anthropometry and ensure that the intended user population can be accommodated by the new product. Identifying the target user is the first step in a successful test. It is critical that the sample of individuals used in the fit test should be representative of the intended market for the product, or results will be invalid. Second, the size of the test sample needs to be determined. Sample size for fit tests has to do with the adjustability or sizing of the product (if any) as well as strictly anthropometric concerns. The test design itself depends on the stage of product development. Early testing produces information that can be used to improve the product before it is released. Later, a test might be designed to help create a size selection chart for a sized product. The choice of anthropometric dimensions to be included will depend specifically on the product being tested, but also on the dimensions that have been measured on the target market population. All elements of the test protocol should be validated with a laboratory trial before actual data collection begins. Finally, the edited data should be analysed using statistical techniques appropriate to the questions being asked. In some cases, visual data displays are helpful. The analysis can predict what proportion of the target population will be accommodated.

Anthropometric variability, equipment usability and musculoskeletal pain in a group of nurses in the Western Cape

This study examined the anthropometry and anthropometric fit of a group of nurses in Western Cape private hospitals. Anthropometric variables were measured using a sample of nurses and a correlation matrix generated. All nurses were given a questionnaire concerned with operational problems in the work environment and musculoskeletal pain. The nurses reported numerous problems in the working environment, including lumbar backache, inadequate space and equipment that caused bodily discomfort. There were consistent, statistically significant associations between the frequency of occurrence of these problems and the anthropometric data indicating that the problems were caused or amplified by body size variability and were not simply general usability problems which would affect all nurses irrespective of their body dimensions.

Anthropometric dimensions and overuse injury among Australian keyboard operators.

This study was instigated to examine the relationship between overuse injury and anthropometric dimensions of Australian keyboard operators to investigate the possibility that a poor anthropometric fit of the workstation may result in greater incidence of such disorders. There were no differences between the anthropometric dimensions of sufferers and nonsufferers of overuse injury among the male keyboard operators. Among men in this study, stature and several other anthropometric dimensions as a proportion of stature were similar to those of North American and European populations for which equipment used in Australia is designed. In contrast, among women, significant differences were evident between sufferers and nonsufferers. The sufferers had greater hip widths and seat breadths, and a greater proportion were overweight (body mass greater than 26). There was also a tendency for shorter limb segment lengths among the sufferers. The women as a group, and the sufferers in particular, had several anthropometric dimensions that, as a proportion of stature, were outside the range of reference populations for design of Australian office workstations. The subject numbers in the present study are relatively small; however, they suggest that a proportion of the female population may not be accommodated by equipment currently in use. The increased proportion of sufferers who are overweight may suggest a relationship between overuse injury and lack of exercise, since the latter is well known to cause increased weight. A longitudinal study is needed to confirm this observation.