Affiliations: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of
Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg
University, Göteborg, Sweden | Department of Product and Production Development,
Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden | National Institute for Working Life, Göteborg,
Sweden | Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sahlgrenska
Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden | Rehabilitation Medicine, Sahlgrenska University
Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden | Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, Helsinki,
Finland | Spinal Injuries Unit, Sahlgrenska University Hospital,
Göteborg, Sweden | Musculoskeletal Centre, Finnish Institute of
Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Leif Sandsjö, Occupational and
Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, The
Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, P.O. Box 414, SE-405 30
Göteborg, Sweden. Tel.: +46 31 786 3699; Fax: +46 31 40 97 28; E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract: The objective of this study was to identify work situations of
concern, implement changes, and evaluate how these changes affect working
conditions in a group of employees with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and
meningomyelocele (MMC). Six persons with traumatic SCI and one with MMC were
visited by an ergonomist at their workplace and assessed regarding
accessibility and physical workload factors, especially risk factors for
neck/shoulder disorders. The working conditions were documented by means of
video, questionnaires, and the ergonomist's own observations. From situations
identified, including the participant's own reporting of problematic
situations, possible changes were discussed and implemented if feasible. All
participants were offered to take part in a myofeedback intervention, aiming at
reducing muscle load of the neck and shoulder muscles. A remodelling of the
workplace to get better access to items and tools was carried out in five out
of seven cases. After these changes, the number of identified situations of
concern was reduced. The relative rest time (RRT) improved in the neck and
shoulder after the intervention in the four participants that completed the
myofeedback training. This study demonstrates that the working conditions of
persons with spinal cord lesion (SCL) can be improved by an ergonomic
intervention.
