TY - GEN
T1 - Design and assessment of ergonomics of hand-powered pruning shears based on gender-specific operating strategy
AU - Hwang, Jesun
AU - Chang, Joonho
AU - Moon, Seung Ki
AU - Freivalds, Andris
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - The present study investigated the biomechanical and physiological loads when working with pruning shears of varying design. The objective of this study was to find usability issues on conventional pruning shears and integrate ergonomics into the design process to improve users' safety and health as well as performance. Effects of pruning shear design, gender, and hand size on muscle activities, grip force distribution, wrist deviations, and gender-specific operating strategy were studied in six male and six female participants while cutting wooden dowels with pruning shears. Three types of pruning shears were used, one conventional and two modified, either with a rubber grip-padded, or with a thumb grip attached to the upper handle. The results showed that (1) the two redesigned pruning shears minimized pressures on some critical hand regions and improved muscle activities, grip force distribution, and wrist deviations and (2) a large degree of wrist extension, greater use of the extensor digitorum (ED) muscle, and excessive squeezing force were women's operating strategies to overcome their biomechanical disadvantages due to small hand size and less muscle strength during pruning work. Based on this finding, it was concluded that conventional pruning shears have potential design problems related to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and therefore ergonomic interventions should focus more on variations in user anthropometry and physiological responses.
AB - The present study investigated the biomechanical and physiological loads when working with pruning shears of varying design. The objective of this study was to find usability issues on conventional pruning shears and integrate ergonomics into the design process to improve users' safety and health as well as performance. Effects of pruning shear design, gender, and hand size on muscle activities, grip force distribution, wrist deviations, and gender-specific operating strategy were studied in six male and six female participants while cutting wooden dowels with pruning shears. Three types of pruning shears were used, one conventional and two modified, either with a rubber grip-padded, or with a thumb grip attached to the upper handle. The results showed that (1) the two redesigned pruning shears minimized pressures on some critical hand regions and improved muscle activities, grip force distribution, and wrist deviations and (2) a large degree of wrist extension, greater use of the extensor digitorum (ED) muscle, and excessive squeezing force were women's operating strategies to overcome their biomechanical disadvantages due to small hand size and less muscle strength during pruning work. Based on this finding, it was concluded that conventional pruning shears have potential design problems related to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and therefore ergonomic interventions should focus more on variations in user anthropometry and physiological responses.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=81855177026&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1071181311551348
DO - 10.1177/1071181311551348
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:81855177026
SN - 9780945289395
T3 - Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
SP - 1671
EP - 1675
BT - Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 55th Annual Meeting, HFES 2011
T2 - 55th Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, HFES 2011
Y2 - 19 September 2011 through 23 September 2011
ER -