Background: Pelotherapy is the traditional procedure of applying curative muds on the skin’s surface—shown to have a positive effect on the human body and cure illnesses. The effect of pelotherapy is complex, functioning through several mechanisms, and depends on the skin’s functional condition. The current research objective was to develop a methodology and electrodes to assess the passage of the chemical and biologically active compounds of curative mud through human skin by performing electrical bioimpedance (EBI) analysis. Methods: The methodology included local area mud pack and simultaneous tap water compress application on the forearms with the comparison to the measurements of the dry skin. A custom-designed small-area gold-plated electrode on a rigid printed circuit board, in a tetrapolar configuration, was designed. A pilot study experiment with ten volunteers was performed. Results: Our results indicated the presence of an effect of pelotherapy, manifested by the varying electrical properties of the skin. Distinguishable difference in the measured real part of impedance (R) emerged, showing a very strong correlation between the dry and tap-water-treated skin (r = 0.941), while a poor correlation between the dry and mud-pack-treated skin (r = 0.166) appeared. The findings emerged exclusively in the frequency interval of 10 kHz …1 MHz and only for R. Conclusions: EBI provides a promising tool for monitoring the variations in the electrical properties of the skin, including the skin barrier. We foresee developing smart devices for promoting the exploitation of spa therapies.

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Communicated by Modra MurovskaThis investigation was carried out in the frames of the Interreg 4A project "Workability and Social Inclusion" headed by the Arcada University of Applied Life. Tallinn University of Technology and Rîga Stradiòð University were involved in the project. A questionnaire based on the Nordic, WAI (Work Ability Index), and Kiva questionnaires was compiled to study psychosocial and physical working conditions at computer-equipped workplaces for 192 workers. The results showed that the computer workers assess their health status considerably high. They are optimistic in solving the problem that the monotonous work with computers will continue and believe that their health status in the future will stay at the same level using the steadily enhancing rehabilitation means. The most injured regions of the body were the right wrist and the neck. The novelty of the study consists in the graphical co-analysis of different groups of questions presented to the workers, which allows to assess the physiological and psychological factors in complex. The rehabilitation means have to be developed and the possibility for rehabilitation must be made available to the greatest possible number of workers. The workers were divided into two groups: Group A, the length of employment with computers under 10 years (included) and Group B, having been working with computers over 10 years. These groups were found to differ in the perception of psychosocial risk factors at the workplace. Group B assessments for psychosocial working conditions were better than those of group A. In group B, employees appeared to be more afraid of losing their jobs and therefore they were not so demanding for the work atmosphere as in group A.Pçtîjums veikts projekta Interreg 4A "Efektivitâte un sociâlâ iekïauðanâs" ietvaros. Apkopoti dati, kas iegûti, apstrâdâjot 192 darbiniekus, kuru darba vietas aprîkotas ar datoru, anketas (Nordic, darbspçju indeksa un Kiva anketas). Pçtîjuma rezultâti parâdîja, ka darbinieki novçrtç savu veselîbas stâvokli kâ labu. Turpinot monotono darbu pie datoriem, darbinieki uzskata, ka viòu veselîbas stâvoklis nâkotnç nepasliktinâsies, ja tiks veikta regulâra rehabilitâcija. Visjutîgâkie pret nogurumu ir rokas un kakla muskuïi. Nepiecieðams izstrâdât rehabilitâcijas programmu, un tai ir jâbût pieejamai pçc iespçjas vairâk darba òçmçjiem. Pçtîjumâ darbinieki tika sadalîti divâs grupâs: A grupa, darba stâþs ar datoru lîdz 10 gadiem (ieskaitot) un B grupa, darbs ar datoru vairâk nekâ 10 gadi. Tika konstatçts, ka psihosociâlo riska faktoru novçrtçðanas rezultâti abâm grupâm atðíîrâs -psihosociâlo darba apstâkïu novçrtçjums B grupai bija labâks nekâ A grupai. B grupas darbinieki vairâk baidîjâs zaudçt darbu, un viòiem nebija augstas prasîbas darba videi.

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Work-related musculoskeletal disorders have a high frequency of occurrence, and they often cause temporary or permanent disability of the neck, shoulders, arms and back and pain complaints with respect to other muscles. In the present study, we investigated 66 office workers, 18 industrial workers from wood and textile industries and 40 SPA service workers. The pain complaints were mapped with the 10-point scale. The localization of the pain was assessed with the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. 66 office workers and 18 industrial workers were investigated with the help of myometry. The latter method enables to determine the fatigue and elasticity of the muscles. The main aim was to identify the occupational risk factorspossible developers of MSDs in the early stage of disturbances, thus preventing the formation of the chronic diseases and disabilities.