Whole-Body Vibration and Trunk Posture During Operation of Agricultural Machinery

Fethke, Nathan B.; Schall, Mark C.; Merlino, Linda; Chen, Howard; Branch, Cassidy; Ramaswamy, Maya

doi:10.1093/annweh/wxy076

Cited by 16 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Scientific research on the effects of mechanical vibrations has clearly highlighted the danger that this stimulus can pose to the state of health, emphasizing how the risk from vibrations is generated when using specific tools, working instruments and machinery that induce continuous stresses in the body of the worker using them, compromising apparatuses, joints, or even internal organs [ 1 , 2 ]. Furthermore, the study of vibrations’ effect on the human body has led, in recent years, to a greater understanding of degenerative phenomena leading to a broad spectrum of occupational diseases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole Body Vibration: A Valid Alternative Strategy to Exercise?

Bonanni

Cariati

Romagnoli

et al. 2022

JFMK

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Several studies agree that mechanical vibration can induce physiological changes at different levels, improving neuromuscular function through postural control strategies, muscle tuning mechanisms and tonic vibration reflexes. Whole-body vibration has also been reported to increase bone mineral density and muscle mass and strength, as well as to relieve pain and modulate proprioceptive function in patients with osteoarthritis or lower back pain. Furthermore, vibratory training was found to be an effective strategy for improving the physical performance of healthy athletes in terms of muscle strength, agility, flexibility, and vertical jump height. Notably, several benefits have also been observed at the brain level, proving to be an important factor in protecting and/or preventing the development of age-related cognitive disorders. Although research in this field is still debated, certain molecular mechanisms responsible for the response to whole-body vibration also appear to be involved in physiological adaptations to exercise, suggesting the possibility of using it as an alternative or reinforcing strategy to canonical training. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for the development of whole body vibration protocols appropriately designed based on individual needs to optimize these effects. Therefore, we performed a narrative review of the literature, consulting the bibliographic databases MEDLINE and Google Scholar, to i) summarize the most recent scientific evidence on the effects of whole-body vibration and the molecular mechanisms proposed so far to provide a useful state of the art and ii) assess the potential of whole-body vibration as a form of passive training in place of or in association with exercise.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole Body Vibration: A Valid Alternative Strategy to Exercise?

Bonanni

Cariati

Romagnoli

et al. 2022

JFMK

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“…In addition to the different types of soil, there are other factors that influence the vibration resulting from these tractors, such as the type of operation (Singh et al, 2019), the characteristics of the tractor (Cutini et al, 2017) and also incorrect postures by the operator, which can result from discomfort to serious harmful effects (Fethke et al, 2018). Taking into account all the factors analyzed, there is a lack of studies in this area and it is also noted that this subject has a large space for different projects and methodologies related to the identification and mitigation of vibrations emitted by agricultural tractors.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the vibration levels issued by agricultural tractors

Rosa¹,

Baesso²,

Modolo³

et al. 2021

Afr. J. Agric. Res.

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Vibration is one of the most relevant aspects, when dealing with the subject of ergonomics in agricultural tractors, although there are still few studies developed to evaluate this parameter and its implications for occupational health. This work aimed to evaluate the levels of vibration emitted by agricultural tractors with different powers, comparing the results with the norm in force in Brazil, in addition to evaluating these levels in three different types of surface. In its methodology, seven tractors , called A, B, C, D, E, F and G, were evaluated, from the same brand, with powers ranging from 75 to 215 hp. The frequency range chosen for the study varied from 5 to 10 Hz, the total data acquisition time was 20 min and the tractors operated under similar conditions, with five repetitions in each treatment (tractor x surface). Generally, the tractors studied showed higher vibration levels than the parameters set by the standard used by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), in a daily working period of eight hours, in the frequency range varying from 5 to 10 Hz.

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“…Within the industrial sector, the specific use of forklifts and electric pallet jacks is critical in cargo handling and distribution processes. Although a significant portion of a company’s workforce operates these machines, studies on postural risk for forklift and pallet jack operators are limited ( Costa and Arezes 2009 ; Fethke et al 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Myotonometry in machinery operators and its relationship with postural ergonomic risk

Urrejola-Contreras,

Martínez,

Rodríguez-Bagó

et al. 2024

Annals of Work Exposures and Health

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Objectives To analyze the association between occupational ergonomic risk, personal characteristics, and working conditions with the biomechanical properties of stiffness and muscular tone in the paravertebral muscles of electric pallet jack and forklift operators in the industrial sector. Methods A total of 75 industrial sector machine operators were evaluated in 2021. Personal characteristics and working conditions were assessed through a questionnaire. Ergonomic risk was assessed using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method, and biomechanical properties of stiffness and muscular tone were obtained using the Myoton Pro device. Stiffness in paravertebral muscles was compared based on the operated machine and observed ergonomic risk. A multilevel linear regression model was employed to quantify the relationship, with mean differences and 95% CI calculated. Results Very high ergonomic risk was found in 75% of the electric pallet truck drivers. In this group with the highest ergonomic risk, an association between biomechanical properties and older workers was observed. Additionally, among electric pallet truck drivers, stiffness (mean difference 335.9 N/m, 95% CI: 46.4 (3.4 to 110.0), P < 0.05) and paravertebral muscle tone (mean difference 17.5 Hz, 95% CI: 1.4 (0.1 to 3.4), P < 0.05) showed statistically significant differences in the very high ergonomic risk category compared to the high-risk category. No significant differences were observed in any of the analyzed variables among forklift drivers. Conclusions Workers operating electric pallet trucks with very high ergonomic risk according to the REBA method and aged over 40 yr are associated with increased muscle stiffness and tone.

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Whole-Body Vibration and Trunk Posture During Operation of Agricultural Machinery

Cited by 16 publications

References 34 publications

Whole Body Vibration: A Valid Alternative Strategy to Exercise?

Whole Body Vibration: A Valid Alternative Strategy to Exercise?

Evaluation of the vibration levels issued by agricultural tractors

Myotonometry in machinery operators and its relationship with postural ergonomic risk

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