| 1. |
- Aasa, Ulrika, et al.
(author)
-
Relationships between work-related factors and disorders in the neck-shoulder and low-back region among female and male ambulance personnel.
- 2005
-
In: Journal of Occupational Health. - : Wiley. - 1341-9145 .- 1348-9585. ; 47:6, s. 481-9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This cross-sectional study on a random sample of 1,500 ambulance personnel investigated the relationships between self-reported work-related physical and psychosocial factors, worry about work conditions, and musculoskeletal disorders among female and male ambulance personnel. Three different outcomes, complaints, activity limitation, and sick leave, for the neck-shoulder and low-back region, respectively, were chosen. Among the female personnel, physical demands was significantly associated with activity limitation in the neck-shoulder (OR 4.13) and low-back region (OR 2.17), and psychological demands with neck-shoulder (OR 2.37) and low-back (OR 2.28) complaints. Among the male personnel, physical demands was significantly associated with low-back complaints (OR 1.41) and activity limitation (OR 1.62). Psychological demands and lack of social support were significantly associated with neck-shoulder complaints (OR 1.86 and OR 1.58, respectively) and activity limitation (OR 3.46 and OR 1.71) as well as activity limitation due to low-back complaints (OR 2.22 and OR 1.63). Worry about work conditions was independently associated with activity limitation due to low-back complaints among the female (OR 5.28), and to both neck-shoulder and low-back complaints (OR 1.79 and OR 2.04, respectively) and activity limitation (OR 2.32 and OR 1.95) among the male personnel. In conclusion, the association patterns between physical and psychological demands and MSDs suggest opportunities for intervention.
|
|
| 2. |
- Aasa, Ulrika, et al.
(author)
-
Stress monitoring of ambulance personnel during work and leisure time
- 2006
-
In: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 80:1, s. 51-59
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess physiological and subjective stress markers during a 24-h ambulance work shift and during the next two work-free days, and relate these parameters to self-reported health complaints. Methods: Twenty-six ambulance personnel were followed during a 24-h work shift and during the next two work-free days with electrocardiogram, cortisol assessments and diary notes. The ambulance personnel also performed tests of autonomic reactivity before and at the end of the work shift. The subjects were categorized into two groups according to their number of health complaints. Results: In general, stress markers did not show differences between the work shift and leisure time. However, a modest deviation in heart rate variability pattern and higher morning cortisol values during work in comparison with work-free days were observed in personnel with many health complaints. Conclusions: Subjective and physiological characteristics of ambulance personnel did not indicate distinctive stress during the 24-h work shift. Relationships between frequent health complaints and specific work-related factors require further prospective studies.
|
|
| 3. |
- Aasa, Ulrika, et al.
(author)
-
The effects of a 1-year physical exercise programme on development of fatigue during a simulated ambulance work task.
- 2008
-
In: Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0014-0139 .- 1366-5847. ; 51:8, s. 1179-94
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of individually prescribed physical exercise programmes on development of fatigue during the carrying of a loaded stretcher up and down the stairs. Nineteen ambulance personnel performed the training for 1 year. Testing occurred before and after 1 year of the training. Both the training group (n = 19) and the control group (n = 15) were assessed for physical capacity and lactate concentration in blood and ratings of perceived exertion during carrying a stretcher on the stairs. When comparisons were made between those who had been training three times/week for 1 year and the control group, lactate concentration was significantly decreased. In conclusion, markers of fatigue during stretcher carrying can be reduced by the use of individually prescribed physical exercise programmes.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Barnekow-Bergkvist, Margareta
(author)
-
Kan fysisk träning i anslutning till arbetet förbättra muskuloskeletal hälsa? : en kunskapsöversikt
- 2006
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This literature review gives support for a positive health effect of regular physical exercise matching the physical demands at work and the anatomical origin of disorder:-specific trunk muscle exercises ca 1–2 times/week can have a positive effect on low back disorders among women/men with heavy vigorous or varied job tasks working in different health care or industrial settings-specific shoulder-arm and neck exercises ca 1–2 times/week can have a positive effect on neck-shoulder and neck disorders, respectively, among women with light repetitive or monotonous job tasks working in different office settings.Overall, associations between physical exercise and improvement in related physical performance and musculoskeletal health – disorders were found in those studies which met the criteria of randomized allocation, specified exercises, frequency and duration of the exercise session and documented effect from exercise on the corresponding physical capacity. Minor or major methodological deficiencies are, however, present in many of the intervention studies that impair the assessment as they can lead to an over- as well as an underestimation of the effect of training. Future studies should therefore focus on high methodological quality especially regarding 1) research design, inclusion criteria, allocation to intervention and control group; 2) exercise program, registration of compliance to training and changes of occupational load; 3) high accuracy of the effect measures
|
|
| 6. |
- Barnekow-Bergkvist, Margareta, et al.
(author)
-
Relationships between physical activity and physical capacity in adolescent females and bone mass in adulthood
- 2006
-
In: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. - : Wiley. - 0905-7188 .- 1600-0838. ; 16:6, s. 447-455
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study investigates whether physical activity and physical performance in adolescence are positively related to adult bone mineral density (BMD). In 1974, physical activity, endurance, and muscular strength were measured in 204 randomly selected female students, age 16.1 +/- 0.3 year (range 15-17 years). Twenty years later, 36 of the women volunteered to undergo a measurement of their BMD. Women who were members in a sports club in adolescence had significantly higher adult BMD (mean differences of 5% to 17% depending on site) compared with subjects who were not engaged in a sports club. Furthermore, women with persistent weight-bearing activity in adulthood had significantly higher BMD compared with women who had stopped being active or had never been active. The differences ranged between 5% and 19% with the highest difference found in trochanter BMD. Stepwise regression analyses showed that membership in a sports club at baseline was a significant independent predictor of BMD in the total body, lumbar spine, legs, trochanter, and femoral neck, explaining 17-26% of the variation in BMD. Change in body weight was a strong independent predictor of BMD of the total body and arms, explaining 8% of the variation in both sites. In addition, running performance at baseline was an independent predictor of total body BMD, whereas the two-hand lift performance significantly predicted BMD of the total body, legs and trochanter. The hanging leg-lift and handgrip were both significant predictors of arm BMD. In conclusion, membership in a sports club and site-specific physical performance in adolescence together with the change in body weight were significantly associated with adult BMD in premenopausal women
|
|
| 7. |
- Bergfors, M, et al.
(author)
-
Short-term effects of repetitive arm work and dynamic exercise on glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
- 2005
-
In: Acta Physiologica Scandinavica. - 0001-6772 .- 1365-201X. ; 183:4, s. 345-356
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: To detennine whether repetitive ann work, with a large component of static muscle contraction alters glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Methad: Euglycemic clamps (2h) were started in ten healthy individuals 15 minutes after 37 minute periods of: 1) repetitive ann work in a simulated occupational setting; 2) dynamic concentric exercise on a cycle ergometer at 60% OfVO2 max and 3) a resting regime as a control. During the experimental periods, blood samples were collected, blood pressure was measured repeatedly and electrocardiogram (ECG) wasrecorded continuously. During the clamps, euglycemia was maintained at 5 mmo1/l and insulin was infused at 56 mU/m2/min for 120 min. Results: The insulin-mediated glucose disposal rate (M-value) for the steady state period (60- 120 min) of the clamp, tended to be lower following ann work than for both cycling and resting regimes. When dividing the steady state period into 20-minute intervals, the insulin sensitivity index, (ISI) was significantly lower for ann work compared with the resting control situation between 60-80 minutes (p=0.04) and 80-100 minutes (p=0.01) respectively. Catecholamines increased significantly for ann work and cycling compared with resting regime. .Data from heart rate variability (HRV) me asurements indicated significant sympathetic activation during repetitive ann work test. Canelusian: The results indicate that repetitive ann work might acutely promote insulin resistance, whereas no such effect on insulin resistance was produced by dynamic concentric exercise.
|
|
| 8. |
- Björklund, Martin, et al.
(author)
-
The assessment of symptoms and functional limitations in low back pain patients : validity and reliability of a new questionnaire
- 2007
-
In: European spine journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0940-6719 .- 1432-0932. ; 16:11, s. 1799-1811
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Many of the existing low back pain (LBP) questionnaires of function and symptoms have a content of different domains of disability presented as a single sum score, making it difficult to derive changes within a specific domain. The present study describes the development of a clinically derived back-specific questionnaire incorporating both a functional limitation and a symptom scale, with a further subdivision of the symptom scale in separate indices for severity and temporal aspects. The aims of the study were to assess the overall reliability and validity of the new questionnaire, named the Profile Fitness Mapping questionnaire (PFM). A total of 193 chronic LBP patients answered the PFM together with five validated criterion questionnaires. For the internal consistency of the questionnaires, the three indices of the PFM had the highest Cronbach's alpha (0.90-0.95) and all items had item-total correlations above 0.2. The correlation coefficients between the PFM and the back-specific criterion questionnaires ranged between 0.61 and 0.83, indicating good concurrent criterion validity. The best discriminative ability between patients with different pain severities was demonstrated by the functional limitation scale of the PFM. Well centered score distribution with no patient's score at the floor or the ceiling level indicates that the PFM has the potential to detect the improvement or worsening of symptoms and functional limitations in chronic LBP patients. Classification according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and health (ICF) of WHO revealed a high degree of homogeneous item content of the symptom scale to the domain of impairments, and of the functional limitation scale to the domain of activity limitations. The present study suggests that the PFM has a high internal consistency and is a valid indicator of symptoms and functional limitations of LBP patients. It offers the combination of a composite total score and the possibility of evaluations within specific domains of disability. Complementary evaluation of test-retest reliability and responsiveness to change is warranted.
|
|
| 9. |
- Björklund, Martin, et al.
(author)
-
The profile fitness mapping scales, validity of a new back-specific questionnaire
- 2009
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Disability questionnaires for LBP-patients mostlyemanate from health professionals and have a content of differentdomains of disability presented as a single sum score, makingit difficult to derive changes within a specific domain. Thisstudy introduces a new back-specific questionnaire, the ProfileFitness Mapping questionnaire (PFM), which was based on patient’sself-reported characteristics of the LBP. The PFM incorporatesboth a functional limitation and a symptom scale, with furthersubdivision of the symptom scale in separate indices for severityand temporal aspects. The aim of the study was to assess theoverall validity of the PFM.Methods and Results: Chronic LBP-patients (n=193) answered thePFM and four validated back-specific criterion questionnaires.The correlation coefficients between the PFM and the criterionquestionnaires showed good concurrent criterion validity (0.61– 0.83). The best discriminative ability between patientswith different pain severity was demonstrated by the functionallimitation scale of the PFM. Classification according to theICF revealed a high degree of homogeneous item content of thesymptom scale to the domain of impairments, and of the functionallimitation scale to the domain of activity limitations. Wellcentered score distribution indicates that the PFM has the potentialto detect improvement or worsening of symptoms and functionallimitations in chronic LBP-patients.Conclusion: The results of the study signify that the PFM isa valid indicator of symptoms and functional limitations ofLBP-patients. It provides the combination of a composite totalscore and the possibility of evaluations within specific domainsof disability.
|
|
| 10. |
- Björklund, Martin, et al.
(author)
-
The profile fitness mapping scales, validity of a new back-specific questionnaire
- 2007
-
In: The 2007 Society for Back Pain Research Meeting.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Disability questionnaires for LBP-patients mostly emanate from health professionals and have a content of different domains of disability presented as a single sum score, making it difficult to derive changes within a specific domain. This study introduces a new back-specific questionnaire, the Profile Fitness Mapping questionnaire (PFM), which was based on patient’s self-reported characteristics of the LBP. The PFM incorporates both a functional limitation and a symptom scale, with further subdivision of the symptom scale in separate indices for severity and temporal aspects. The aim of the study was to assess the overall validity of the PFM. METHODS AND RESULTS: Chronic LBP-patients (n=193) answered the PFM and four validated back-specific criterion questionnaires. The correlation coefficients between the PFM and the criterion questionnaires showed good concurrent criterion validity (0.61 – 0.83). The best discriminative ability between patients with different pain severity was demonstrated by the functional limitation scale of the PFM. Classification according to the ICF revealed a high degree of homogeneous item content of the symptom scale to the domain of impairments, and of the functional limitation scale to the domain of activity limitations. Well centered score distribution indicates that the PFM has the potential to detect improvement or worsening of symptoms and functional limitations in chronic LBP-patients. CONCLUSION: The results of the study signify that the PFM is a valid indicator of symptoms and functional limitations of LBP-patients. It provides the combination of a composite total score and the possibility of evaluations within specific domains of disability.
|
|
