Wrist postures in the general population of computer users during a computer task.

Area of Science:

• Ergonomics
• Biomechanics
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Computer use is frequently associated with upper limb musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
• Identifying and classifying movements during computer tasks like typing is crucial for understanding their impact.
• Previous analyses often focused on single-plane wrist motion, potentially overlooking combined movements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and classify the specific movements involved in typing.
• To analyze wrist postures in two planes of motion during computer use.
• To propose an alternative method for categorizing wrist positions and their ergonomic implications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized motion analysis techniques to capture typing movements.
• Placed markers on participants' knuckles, wrists, and forearms.
• Calculated wrist flexion, extension, radial deviation, and ulnar deviation in multiple planes.

Main Results:

• Mean wrist extension/flexion was 18.825° ± 10.013° and radial/ulnar deviation was 5.228° ± 11.703° in one plane.
• The most frequent two-plane wrist posture was 20° extension with 20° ulnar deviation (10.72%).
• Demonstrated the prevalence of combined wrist movements during typing.

Conclusions:

• Typing involves complex wrist postures in two planes of motion.
• Categorizing wrist positions in two planes offers a more comprehensive understanding of ergonomic risk factors.
• Addressing coincident wrist postures is essential for preventing computer-related MSDs.