Abstract
Purpose
The present study aimed to estimate possible differences in upper body muscular load between male and female house painters performing identical work tasks. Sex-related differences in muscular load may help explain why women, in general, have more musculoskeletal complaints than men.
Methods
In a laboratory setting, 16 male and 16 female house painters performed nine standardised work tasks common to house painters. Unilateral electromyography (EMG) recordings were obtained from the supraspinatus muscle by intramuscular electrodes and from the trapezius, extensor and flexor carpi radialis muscles by surface electrodes. Relative muscular loads in %EMGmax as well as exerted force in Newton, based on ramp calibrations, were assessed. Sex differences were tested using a mixed model approach.
Results
Women worked at about 50 % higher relative muscular loads than men in the supraspinatus and forearm muscles at all percentiles and in all tasks. Women exerted about 30 % less force in the trapezius muscle at the 50th percentile.
Conclusions
Female house painters had a higher relative muscular load than their male colleagues without exerting more force. The effects of a higher relative muscular load accumulated over years of work may in part explain why musculoskeletal complaints in the upper body occur more frequently among women than men.
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Abbreviations
- APDF:
-
Amplitude probability distribution function
- EMG:
-
Electromyography
- EMGmax :
-
Maximum EMG amplitude
- CI:
-
Confidence interval
- MSD:
-
Musculoskeletal disorders
- MVC:
-
Maximal voluntary contraction
- P10:
-
10 % percentile
- P50:
-
50 % percentile
- P90:
-
90 % percentile
- SD:
-
Standard deviation
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Acknowledgments
The present study was supported by grants from The Danish Rheumatism Association and The Danish Working Environment Research Fund. The authors wish to thank co-workers at The University Hospital in Lund and Bispebjerg University Hospital, especially student Hatice Yilmaz for assistance during data collection and Jacob Louis Marott for statistical guidance. Also the collaboration of the Painters’ Union in Denmark is highly appreciated.
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Communicated by Peter Krustrup.
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Meyland, J., Heilskov-Hansen, T., Alkjær, T. et al. Sex differences in muscular load among house painters performing identical work tasks. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1901–1911 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2918-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2918-6