Postural Movements Research Articles

An Empirical and Deep Learning Investigation of Working Conditions and Musculoskeletal Outcomes in Wheat Farmers

Background: In developing countries, various farming activities are performed manually with the help of traditional hand tools. Therefore, agriculture is recognized as one of the risky occupations Objective: This research study aims to identify the critical working conditions of wheat farmers in Rajasthan state, India. Method: Data were collected through the survey conducted on 75 randomly selected wheat farmers of Rajasthan. The survey questionnaire gathered information related to demographic, occupational, and musculoskeletal discomfort faced by the farmers. In addition, a deep learning-based posture detection study of the workers was performed to assess the postural risks through a rapid upper limb assessment score. Result: The collected data were analyzed further for fruitful insights. The survey outcomes showed that awkward posture (41%) and repetitive movement (35%) were the most reported reasons for the severe risks of musculoskeletal disorders among farmers. The posture evaluationbased study outcomes showed that approximately 51% of subjects lie in the action category 4, which shows the higher level of risks in the activities performed by farmers. Conclusion: It is suggested to apply the principles of physical ergonomics in the agriculture sector and spread awareness among the farmers about the agriculture risks associated with farming activities.

Ergonomic Risk Analysis of Working Postures for a Textile Factory Worker

The textile sector significantly contributes to total employment and exports in our country. At the same time, it has a production structure that is labor-intensive and where most of the work is done manually and repetitively. As a result of shift work and long working hours in textile production, some musculoskeletal disorders occur in employees due to non-ergonomic posture and repetitive movements. Untreated and neglected musculoskeletal disorders cause more serious problems for employees in the long term. In this study, ergonomic risk assessment was conducted using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment Method for the working postures of textile workers working in the weaving department of a textile factory. Thus, potential risk factors and ergonomic strain levels exposed to employees were determined. As a result of the research, it was determined that the employee was exposed to high risk, and precautions needed to be taken quickly. In addition, some recommendations were made to prevent musculoskeletal disorders and loss of productivity in the business through some precautions.

Correlation between Cranio-Vertebral Angle and Muscle Activity According to Body Movements in Forward Head Posture

The purpose of this study is to determine the correlation between FHP and how it may affect muscle activity during raising the arm and loss of body balance, 40 young people participated. All subjects will have their cranio-vertebral angle (CVA) and muscle activity of the serratus anterior (SA), upper trapezius (UT), and lower trapezius (LT), static balance index, and central pressure excursion index (CPEI) measured. Muscle activity was measured using TeleMyo 2400(Noraxon U.S.A., Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USA), and static balance indicators and CPEI were measured using the MatscanVersaTek system (Tekscan Inc., MA). Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between variables. CVA and SA, UT, and LT all showed significant correlation, positive correlation with SA(r=0.429/p=0.006) and LT(r=0.377/p=0.017), and negative correlation with UT(r=-0.473/p=0.007) (Table 2). CVA showed a moderate level of negative correlation with AREA(r=0.-0.420 /p=0.007) and L-R distance(r=-0.508 /p=0.000) among balance indicators, and did not show a significant correlation with CPEI (Table 3). In people with more severe FHP, SA, and LT muscle activity tended to be lower, UT muscle activity tended to be higher, and static balance ability was lower. According to the results of this study, FHP can have a negative effect on various factors of the body, such as arm movement and static balance, suggesting that establishing correct posture is necessary to prevent secondary physical problems.

Mobility and Temperature Sensitive Energy Efficient Routing (MTS-EER) protocol in a wireless body area network

Sensor technology advancements have provided the platform to implement wireless body area networks, thanks to the nanosized sensor units capable of sensing, aggregating, and forwarding physiological information. The collected information is routed to the desired destination unit for data analysis and decision-making in remote healthcare. However, improving energy utilization remains a brain-teasing problem for the research community, especially considering imbalanced energy consumption and postural movements. Mobility contributes to disconnectivity issues, high energy drainage, and retransmission delays. In addition, the sensor node’s thermal level also poses a challenge in maintaining safer and reliable data transmission. To overcome these issues, a novel Mobility and Temperature Sensitive Energy-Efficient Routing ¬(MTS-EER) algorithm has been proposed that includes a two-step process. In step 1, an Intelligent Path Estimation Function (IPEF) is designed considering the sensor’s mobility, temperature, and energy level. IPEF depends on crucial parameters i.e.: - residual energy, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), distance, total energy, and most importantly temperature of the sensor unit. The sensor node with the least IPEF is selected as the Cluster Head (CH). In step 2, an optimized and sustainable energy conservation model (OSECM) is implemented based on the Adaptive Transmission Power (ATP) and the Power Management Module (PMM). The ATP conserves the energy via intelligently varying the transmission power and PMM manages the sleep pattern of sensor nodes to yield a high network lifetime and efficient energy utilization. The algorithm includes a clustering approach with dual sink nodes to conserve energy and improve reliability. Finally, the results are compared with the recent state-of-the-art research work. The proposed algorithm provides better results considering residual energy, throughput, network lifetime, and end-to-end delay.

Reconfigurable Robotic Exercising Companion

Regular exercise plays a crucial role in promoting overall well-being in today’s lifestyle. However, individuals often find it challenging to properly execute exercises, including maintaining correct postures and appropriate movement speeds. Robotic companions have emerged as potential solutions to assist and motivate users during exercise sessions. This research paper proposes a novel robot companion designed for exercise scenarios using a reconfigurable robot. In contrast to existing non-reconfigurable robotic companions, the use of a reconfigurable robot provides added flexibility in generating emotions. The system incorporates a module that utilizes fuzzy logic to evaluate the correctness of exercise performance based on posture variations and movement speeds. The robot generates emotions and provides feedback to users based on the exercise correctness score. The robot expresses emotions through reconfigurations, motion patterns, and variations in robot speed. This emotion-based feedback could be helpful for creating engaging and interactive exercise experiences. Apart from emotion generation, the robot utilizes vocal cues as feedback. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed system in evaluating exercise correctness and demonstrating meaningful emotion transitions. The findings of this work contribute to the development of innovative robotic companions for improving exercise adherence and overall well-being.

Flexible dual-mode pressure sensor for simultaneous dynamic-static sensing with wide-range detection and ultra-fast response speed

Flexible pressure sensors play a vital role in advancing the Internet of Things (IoT). However, piezoelectric sensors are limited in static pressure detection and suffer in achieving high flexibility and high sensitivity simultaneously, while piezoresistive sensors typically have slow response speeds and insensitive high-frequency detection ability. Here, we select a novel basalt fiber fabric (BFF) that can withstand high temperatures exceeding 1000 °C as a new substrate to enable one-step fabrication of piezoelectric layer based on coherently grown Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films via a simple dipping method. The high piezoelectric coefficient g33 of 362.5 mV·m·N−1 and the unique core-sheath structure induced stress concentration on the PZT sheath enable the flexible piezoelectric layer (bending radius < 1.45 mm) to exhibit high sensitivity (voltage sensitivity of 2.766 V/kPa within the range of 0.11–11.11 kPa) and fast response speed (11 ms). The piezoresistive layer consisting of a three-dimensional porous elastic carbon nanotube-polyurethane sponge provides a detection range comparable to piezoelectric layer (0.11–66.67 kPa). A dual-mode flexible pressure sensor (DMFS) has been developed by integrating the piezoelectric layer with the piezoresistive layer. The DMFS exhibits an extended detection range compared to previous dual-mode pressure sensors, rapid response speed, and high sensitivity, which enables simultaneous detection of both dynamic and static pressures. The DMFS can be used for keyboard and movement posture recognition, which has significant application prospects in human-machine interaction.

ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY POSTURE AND TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most complex joints in the human body, being responsible for the movement of opening and closing the mouth. Dysfunctions that affect the temporomandibular joint have a multifactorial etiology that includes: the joint itself, the chewing muscles and other structures of the stomatognathic system. In this sense, postural movements can be associated as a predisposing factor for temporomandibular disorder (TMD), when analyzing the negative repercussions of body movements reflected in the TMJ. In this way, it is clear that a better understanding of such conditions would therefore contribute to more accurate diagnoses and more comprehensive, coherent and, consequently, more effective therapeutic approaches. A systematic review of the literature was carried out, with the aim of searching for works that support the impact between craniocervical posture and temporomandibular disorders, using references from scientific articles from the last five years in Portuguese and English. Therefore, it is clear that a better understanding of these conditions would therefore contribute to more accurate diagnoses and more comprehensive, coherent and, consequently, more effective therapeutic approaches.

Investigation of prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among tea harvesting farmers - A systematic review.

Tea harvesting is a common agricultural occupation, usually conducted in mountainous regions with steep slopes and high altitudes. Despite the utilization of modern technology and mechanized equipment in agriculture, a substantial portion of tea harvesting continues to be traditional and physically strenuous. This dependence on manual labor can lead to a higher likelihood of musculoskeletal disorders among tea harvesting farmers. The objective of this research was investigation of prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders in tea harvesting farmers. In this review study, we analyzed all published articles on the prevalence and factors influencing musculoskeletal disorders in tea harvesting farmers from March 10, 2010, to November 10, 2023 (last search date). We systematically searched for articles using keywords (risk factor, risk assessment, lower limb, upper limb, musculoskeletal disorders, tea harvesting, posture, manual handling, discomfort, ergonomics, prevalence, farmers) in PubMed, Google Scholar, SID, Web of Science, Scopus, Magiran, Iran Medex, Cochrane Library, and Embase. The quality of the articles was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), 2018 version. Unrelated articles were excluded following PRISMA statement guidelines, and only articles directly related to the study were reviewed. GraySource and BASE databases were also utilized to identify Gray sources.. Initially, 128 articles were found across different databases, and a total of 17 articles were selected for the final assessment. The primary areas of the body that workers are commonly exposed to musculoskeletal issues are the back, hands, wrists, shoulders, neck, and knees. The research identified four main categories of factors: personal, occupational, environmental, and psychosocial that contribute to musculoskeletal problems. Among these factors are women working in physically demanding environments, lifting heavy bags of harvested tea, time pressures during tea collection, repetitive hand motions from using harvesting tools, the height of the tea plants in the field, working in wet and slippery conditions, uneven ground surfaces, extended working hours, low pay, and lack of support from employers. Ergonomic interventions such as redesigning tea harvesting tools, enhancing tea plants and workspaces, teaching ergonomic principles of body posture and manual movement, and organizing work with job rotation and adequate rest are recommended to alleviate musculoskeletal disorder symptoms.

Vibration Characteristics and Mesoscopic State Evolution of Ballasted Track During Dynamic Stabilizing Operation

Dynamic stabilization of large machines is necessary procedures before the commencement of operations railway lines that are newly built. However, limited or no studies have been carried out to reveal the operational mechanism from the vibration transfer characteristics of ballasted track subjected to excitation by stabilizing machines. The focus of this study is to solve this shortcoming. First, a typical new railway line was selected to test the dynamic response of the ballasted track during stabilizing operation, and then a stabilizing machine-ballasted track model was established with the help of the DEM-MBD coupling method. And the biaxial vibration accelerometers were inserted at various locations in the ballast bed to monitor the evolution of the vibration level on real-time basis. The influence of the stabilizing operation process on the vibration transmission and attenuation characteristics of sleeper and ballast bed was explored using wavelet analysis and Fast Fourier Transform method. The vibration absorption capacity and energy dissipation characteristics of the ballasted track under various stabilizing frequencies were analyzed. At the same time, the contact state and movement posture of ballast particles during the stabilizing operation were explored. Results showed that the vertical vibration attenuation rate of the slope toe of the ballast bed after the first stabilizing machine pass is 92.32%, while the vertical vibration attenuation rate of the second stabilizing machine is reduced by 3.14%. The second stabilizing machine can cause a large lateral movement of the ballast at the bottom of the sleeper. Under the excitation of 25[Formula: see text]Hz stabilizing frequency, it was observed that, the vibration absorption capacity of the ballast bed at the bottom of the sleeper is high, the vibration level at the ballast bed slope is low, and the stability is better. This is the optimal frequency for the stable operation of the new railway. This study can provide theoretical support for the establishment of the internal correlation mechanism between the vibration characteristics of stabilizing machines and the mechanical state of the ballast bed.

Improving the Recognition and Analysis of the Surendra Algorithm in Athletes’ Motion Capture

With the development of computer technology, its application in athletes’ motion capture is more and more extensive, which can be used to design suitable sensors by the Surendra algorithm. In recent years, more and more scholars have begun to use motion capture technology to study human motion posture, analyze and study human motion posture data and apply it to people’s work, study and life. Motion capture technology has also become a key technology in the field of human motion posture research and is playing an increasingly important role. In this paper, a three-dimensional skeletal model of the athlete’s body is first established based on dynamics, and the athlete’s movement characteristics are simulated by this model. Then, the athlete’s movement posture is judged to determine the appropriate form of movement expression. Then, the improved Surendra algorithm is used to detect the movement movements.

Virtual entertainment robot based on artificial intelligence image capture system for sports and fitness posture recognition

Currently, artificial intelligence and virtual technology are widely used in motion monitoring. Virtual entertainment robots can provide adaptive and personalized fitness services for different user groups, allowing users to experience the exercise process in games. This article studies the virtual entertainment robot based on artificial intelligence image capture system for sports and fitness posture recognition. Firstly, this article explores deep learning methods for motion recognition. By constructing a generative adversarial network to obtain discrimination results, and calculating its anti-loss function. This approach can improve the efficiency of human body movement style conversion through adversarial training. Finally, through the evaluation of movement posture and action recognition, quantitative evaluation results and targeted guidance strategies can be provided to help correct incorrect movements and master correct techniques. Using motion capture systems to identify user movements during exercise not only accurately extracts user fitness movement information, but also makes it easier to use and reduces user costs. The system uses motion evaluation techniques for evaluation to help users correct incorrect fitness habits, prevent exercise losses, and exercise more safely and effectively.

Simulation research on Tai Chi movement posture resolution based on multi-MEMS sensor combination

The combined system based on multiple MEMS sensors is a miniature measurement system used for dynamic output and display of 3D information about the user's posture. It is mainly used for various Tai Chi movement posture calculation simulation research, wearable devices, etc. This article explores MEMS sensor technology, focusing on MEMS sensor data processing, Tai Chi movement position calculation and fusion calculation positioning algorithm. Due to the high noise characteristics of MEMS sensor devices, time series analysis is used to model MIMU signals and Kalman filtering is optimized. As a research field, simulation of Tai Chi movement appears in the intersection of biomechanics, robotics and computer science. The purpose is to create a computer model to simulate the natural and real body movements of the human body under certain conditions. In addition to creating special effects, Tai Chi movement posture calculation simulation can also be used for operation training and research on body structure. This article first introduces the typical applications of several MEMS sensor combinations, and then introduces the key technology of studying Tai Chi movement simulation. The kinematics and mechanics data of Tai Chi are obtained using biomechanical measurement technology, while the individual simulation of Tai Chi dynamics is realized in a certain mode of the machine. By creating a kinematic model of the human upper limb, and finally creating a flexible machine that imitates the human upper limb, to analyze the kinematic characteristics of the human upper limb, and cleverly realize the imitation of active interaction, the simulation of human movement and the solution of Tai Chi movement posture Simulation.

A NEW POSTURAL MOTOR RESPONSE TO SPINAL CORD STIMULATION: POST-STIMULATION REBOUND EXTENSION.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has emerged as a therapeutic tool for improving motor function following spinal cord injury. While many studies focus on restoring locomotion, little attention is paid to enabling standing which is a prerequisite of walking. In this study, we fully characterize a new type of response to SCS, a long extension activated post-stimulation (LEAP). LEAP is primarily directed to ankle extensors and hence has great clinical potential to assist postural movements. To characterize this new response, we used the decerebrate cat model to avoid the suppressive effects of anesthesia, and combined EMG and force measurement in the hindlimb with intracellular recordings in the lumbar spinal cord. Stimulation was delivered as five-second trains via bipolar electrodes placed on the cord surface, and multiple combinations of stimulation locations (L4 to S2), amplitudes (50-600 uA), and frequencies (10-40 Hz) were tested. While the optimum stimulation location and frequency differed slightly among animals, the stimulation amplitude was key for controlling LEAP duration and amplitude. To study the mechanism of LEAP, we performed in vivo intracellular recordings of motoneurons. In 70% of motoneurons, LEAP increased at hyperpolarized membrane potentials indicating a synaptic origin. Furthermore, spinal interneurons exhibited changes in firing during LEAP, confirming the circuit origin of this behavior. Finally, to identify the type of afferents involved in generating LEAP, we used shorter stimulation pulses (more selective for proprioceptive afferents), as well as peripheral stimulation of the sural nerve (cutaneous afferents). The data indicates that LEAP primarily relies on proprioceptive afferents and has major differences from pain or withdrawal reflexes mediated by cutaneous afferents. Our study has thus identified and characterized a novel postural motor response to SCS which has the potential to expand the applications of SCS for patients with motor disorders.

Physical Factors Associated with Non-Specific Neck Pain: Correlations Among Pain, Disability, Posture, Endurance, and Compensatory Movement.

BACKGROUND This study was conducted to investigate physical risk factors in patients with non-specific neck pain. The correlations among pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, range of motion (ROM), and disability index were analyzed in 50 patients with non-specific neck pain at a hospital in Korea. MATERIAL AND METHODS We enrolled 50 patients diagnosed with non-specific neck pain by a doctor. All subjects were evaluated for pain intensity, pressure threshold, degree of disability, active range of motion (ROM) of the neck, upper cervical rotation ROM, muscular endurance of deep cervical flexor, compensatory movements for neck flexion, forward head posture, shoulder height difference, and rounded shoulder posture. The correlation between each variable was analyzed. RESULTS Pain intensity had a significant correlation between cervical rotation ROM, cervical flexion-rotation ROM, rounded shoulder posture, shoulder height difference, and forward head posture (P<.05). There was a significant correlation between the pressure pain threshold and the cervical extension ROM, cervical flexion-rotation ROM, and rounded shoulder height (P<.05). The disability index had a significant correlation between the cervical rotation ROM, cervical flexion-rotation ROM, rounded shoulder posture, and the compensatory movement of neck flexion (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS Physical risk factors for non-specific neck pain included cervical rotation ROM, upper cervical rotation ROM, rounded shoulder posture, shoulder height difference, and cervical flexion compensatory movements, which can affect pain intensity and pressure pain threshold.

Postural motion perception during vestibular stimulation depends on the motion perception threshold in persistent postural-perceptual dizziness

Patients with persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) perceive postural instability larger than the observed sway. It is unknown whether the concept of postural misperception prevails during vestibular stimulation and whether it may account for the unsteadiness patients complain during body movements. We tested the hypothesis of an abnormal sensory-perceptual scaling mechanism in PPPD by recording objective, perceived, and the reproduced postural sway under various standing conditions, modulating visual and proprioceptive input, by binaural galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS). We related postural sway speed to individual vestibular motion perceptional thresholds and disease-related PPPD questionnaires in 32 patients and 28 age-matched healthy control subjects (HC). All participants showed normal vestibular function tests on quantitative testing at the time of enrollment. The perception threshold of GVS was lower in patients. Compared to HC, patients showed and perceived larger sway on the firm platform. With GVS, posturo-perceptual ratios did not show group differences. The ratio of reproduced to real postural sway showed no group differences indicating normal postural sway perception during vestibular stimulation. Noticeably, only in patients, reproduced postural instability became larger with lower individual thresholds of vestibular motion detection. We conclude that posturo-perceptual (metacognitive) scaling of postural control seems to be largely preserved in PPPD during GVS. Vestibular stimulation does not destabilize patients more than HC, even in challenging postural conditions. Low individual thresholds of vestibular motion perception seem to facilitate instability and postural misperception on solid grounds. This conclusion is important for an effective physical therapy with vestibular exercises in PPPD.

Unsupervised machine learning for clustering forward head posture, protraction and retraction movement patterns based on craniocervical angle data in individuals with nonspecific neck pain

ObjectivesThe traditional understanding of craniocervical alignment emphasizes specific anatomical landmarks. However, recent research has challenged the reliance on forward head posture as the primary diagnostic criterion for neck pain. An advanced relationship exists between neck pain and craniocervical alignment, which requires a deeper exploration of diverse postures and movement patterns using advanced techniques, such as clustering analysis. We aimed to explore the complex relationship between craniocervical alignment, and neck pain and to categorize alignment patterns in individuals with nonspecific neck pain using the K-means algorithm.MethodsThis study included 229 office workers with nonspecific neck pain who applied unsupervised machine learning techniques. The craniocervical angles (CCA) during rest, protraction, and retraction were measured using two-dimensional video analysis, and neck pain severity was assessed using the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). CCA during sitting upright in a comfortable position was assessed to evaluate the resting CCA. The average of midpoints between repeated protraction and retraction measures was considered as the midpoint CCA. The K-means algorithm helped categorize participants into alignment clusters based on age, sex and CCA data.ResultsWe found no significant correlation between NPQ scores and CCA data, challenging the traditional understanding of neck pain and alignment. We observed a significant difference in age (F = 140.14, p < 0.001), NPQ total score (F = 115.83, p < 0.001), resting CCA (F = 79.22, p < 0.001), CCA during protraction (F = 33.98, p < 0.001), CCA during retraction (F = 40.40, p < 0.001), and midpoint CCA (F = 66.92, p < 0.001) among the three clusters and healthy controls. Cluster 1 was characterized by the lowest resting and midpoint CCA, and CCA during pro- and -retraction, indicating a significant forward head posture and a pattern of retraction restriction. Cluster 2, the oldest group, showed CCA measurements similar to healthy controls, yet reported the highest NPQ scores. Cluster 3 exhibited the highest CCA during protraction and retraction, suggesting a limitation in protraction movement.DiscussionAnalyzing 229 office workers, three distinct alignment patterns were identified, each with unique postural characteristics; therefore, treatments addressing posture should be individualized and not generalized across the population.

An ergonomic evaluation using a deep learning approach for assessing postural risks in a virtual reality-based smart manufacturing context

This study proposes an integrated ergonomic evaluation designed to identify unsafe postures, whereby postural risks during industrial work are assessed in the context of virtual reality-based smart manufacturing. Unsafe postures were recognised by identifying the displacements of the centre of mass (COM) of body keypoints using a computer vision-based deep learning (DL) convolutional neural network approach. The risk levels for the identified unsafe postures were calculated using ergonomic risk assessment tools rapid upper limb assessment and rapid whole-body assessment. An analysis of variance was conducted to determine significant differences between the vertical and horizontal directions of postural movements associated with the most unsafe postures. The findings assess the ergonomic risk levels and identify the most unsafe postures during industrial work in smart manufacturing using DL method. The identified postural risks can help industry managers and researchers acquire a better understanding of unsafe postures.

Effects of postural control by personal mobility on human joint movements-prototype of a new alert system for personal mobility devices

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a prototype Personal Mobility (PM) system with human-robot synchronous motion measurement and sensory feedback as an attention reminder to ensure the safe performance of sustained, step-by-step rehabilitation tailored to the daily living conditions of elderly individuals. Methods: Five healthy adults were fitted with a simulation tool to experience the elderly, and inertial measurement unit sensors were placed on the subjects and the PM device to measure joint movements during two postural movements (sitting to supine and supine to standing). In addition, vibration stimulation and voice guidance were implemented as alerts at a certain set threshold of the joint motion angle. We analyzed the deviation of each joint motion between the subject and the PM device regarding the angle measurements of the trunk, hip, knee, and ankle joints. Results: Trunk angle misalignment was high in the sitting-to-supine position. Hip angle misalignment was greater in the supine to standing position. As an alert system, vibration and voice guidance could be presented to the subject with a 0.3-second delay after the set threshold was reached. Conclusion: The misalignment between a human and a motorized wheelchair in contact with the human is more than several tens of degrees when expressed as the angle change value of the joint motion. We believe that a system that can constantly sense and alert the user regarding whether the user and the PM device are in sync is necessary for PM devices being used in rehabilitation or as daily life support.

Ways of increasing the efficiency of physical exercises of teenage school students with impaired health

The work is devoted to the definition of anatomical and physiological features of the formation of the movement culture of schoolchildren. The relevance of the issue of increasing the effectiveness of physical exercise classes for primary school girls with postural disorders is substantiated and is the formation of a culture of movements. It has been established that postural disorders are a prerequisite for the appearance of accompanying diseases and abnormalities in physical development and negatively affect the culture of movements, distorting the physique, plasticity of movements, gait, impair motor achievements during physical exercises, lead to a decrease in motivation for motor activity, negatively affect well-being children, lead to the emergence of psychological complexes and complicate socialization in the student body. According to the index method, which included the determination of the shoulder index, which characterizes the level of stooping (kyphotic posture), and the index of vertical curvature of the spine, which indicates the presence of scoliotic posture, it was found that 26.3% of schoolgirls have various posture disorders, while 82 of them .8% of girls have slouching (kyphotic posture), the other 17.2% of schoolgirls have scoliotic posture in various variants of vertical curvature of the spine. Since the level of some motor indicators indirectly determines the culture of girls' movements and affects the formation of a posture stereotype, pedagogical testing of various types of strength, coordination abilities and flexibility of elementary school students was conducted. At the same time, a significant difference was recorded between the motor development of schoolgirls with various postural disorders in the indicators of strength endurance of the muscles of the abdomen, back, flexibility, plasticity and static balance of healthy girls and schoolgirls with postural disorders. The conducted linear correlation analysis using the Pearson method between posture indicators and movement indicators showed a reliable relationship of moderate strength between the posture indicator and some movement indicators, which justifies the need to develop a methodology for teaching the movement culture of elementary school students with posture disorders in the process of physical education.

Effects of Short-Term Hand Tractor Operation on Upper Limb Responses of Users

ABSTRACT Objectives Continuous exposure to hand-arm vibration integrated with poor posture and forceful movements are known causes of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). In most related studies, force and vibration levels in experimental research is controlled. This study aims to determine how actual hand tractor field operation can affect the upper limb of users. It intends to characterize upper limb muscle activation applied during actual hand tractor usage. Lastly, it determines the immediate impacts on hand strength and perceived upper limb discomfort after the operation. Methods We recruited 15 farm operators with a mean working experience of 20.1 ± 12.2 years. They were asked to operate a hand tractor on paddy fields for at most 8 minutes. Handle vibration was measured using a tri-axial accelerometer. The total unweighted vibration acceleration was computed and used to represent the handle vibration magnitude. Muscle activation was measured using surface electromyography (sEMG). Six sEMG sensors were attached to the dominant and non-dominant side of the extensor carpi radialis (ECR), bicep, and deltoid. Pre- and post-task hand strength and subjective discomfort rating were also taken. Results The total unweighted handle vibration acceleration is 17.45 ± 7.53 m/s2. This exceeds the allowable safe value. Meanwhile, the percentage of maximum voluntary contraction (% MVC) of the muscles ranged from 6% to 14% with the ECR having a significantly higher activation (p < .05) than the bicep and deltoid. The post-task grip strength of the dominant hand was lower than its pre-task value (p < .01) while that of the non-dominant side did not vary significantly. There is a modest trend of higher hand discomfort of the non-dominant side on post-task than pre-task rating (p < .10). Although, overall, the perceived discomfort ranged from none to mild discomfort. Conclusion In conclusion, the study showed an indication that the effects of vibration on humans are evident even at mild muscle exertion, with the exertion predominantly concentrated on the distal arm area clearly affecting grip strength and hand discomfort. In such cases, future recommendations can revolve around the improvement of the hand tractor handle grip to impose grip comfort and ease.