Pinch Grip per SE Is Not an Occupational Risk Factor for the Musculoskeletal System: An Experimental Study on Field

Emma Sala, Nicola Francesco Lopomo, Francesco Romagnoli, Cesare Tomasi, Jacopo Fostinelli and Giuseppe De Palma
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Emma Sala: Unit of Occupational Health, Hygiene, Toxicology and Occupational Prevention, University Hospital Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Nicola Francesco Lopomo: Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Francesco Romagnoli: Unit of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazzale Spedali Civili 1, 25121 Brescia, Italy
Cesare Tomasi: Unit of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazzale Spedali Civili 1, 25121 Brescia, Italy
Jacopo Fostinelli: Unit of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazzale Spedali Civili 1, 25121 Brescia, Italy
Giuseppe De Palma: Unit of Occupational Health, Hygiene, Toxicology and Occupational Prevention, University Hospital Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-8

Abstract: Introduction: Some ergonomic evaluation methods define pinch grip as a risk factor independent of the exerted force. The present experimental study was performed with the main aim of objectively measuring the muscle engagement during the execution of pinch grip. Methods: the participants of the study were healthy workers occupationally involved in a high-intensity repetitive job related to the sorting of letters and small packages. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to study the activity of the abductor pollicis brevis and first dorsal interosseous fibers related to the execution of the required working tasks, while the force exerted during voluntary muscle contraction for pinch grip was measured by a portable acquisition system. The subjects were specifically asked to exert the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and further voluntary isometric contractions with a spontaneous force (SF) equal to 10%,20% and 50% of the MVIC; finally, the workers were asked to hold in pinch grip two types of envelopes, weighing 100 g and 500 g, respectively. Results: The force required to pinch 100 and 500 g envelopes by the fifteen subjects of the study corresponded to 4 and 5% MVIC, respectively. The corresponding sEMG average rectified values (ARV) were approximately 6% of that at MVIC for first dorsal interosseus (FDI) fibers and approximately 20–25% of MVIC for abductor pollicis brevis (ABP) fibers. Bivariate correlation analysis showed significant relationships between force at MVIC and FDI ARV at MCV. Conclusions: The obtained results demonstrate that muscle recruitment during pinch grip varies as a function of the SF: not only the position but also the exerted force should be considered when assessing the pinch grip as risk factor for biomechanical overload of the upper limb.

Keywords: pinch; finger grip; strain; EMG; musculoskeletal overload risk assessment; upper limb (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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