Ergonomic studies of standardized domestic work in patients with neuromuscular handicap

A model for ergonomic studies of domestic work in varying patient groups has been constructed. A control group of 15 healthy women, 30-59 years of age, 9 female patients with hemiplegia and 13 with multiple sclerosis (MS) were studied with exercise test on a bicycle ergometer. Recordings of time consumption, heart rate and subjectively perceived exertion were made during a 4.5-5 hour domestic work program. Four of the more strenuous work elements were restudied also with respect to oxygen uptake. The hemiplegic patients required more time and had higher perceived exertion, but lower heart rate and oxygen uptake for the same work tasks than did the controls. The MS-patients also had higher perceived exertion. There was a rather poor relationship between determined and indirectly estimated energy expenditure. Various explanations are discussed. The results demonstrate the importance of the perceived exertion in choosing the work intensity.