Upper extremity muscle activity when vacuuming floors with cordless stick vacuum cleaners

Upright vacuum cleaners for home use have been replaced with lightweight cordless stick vacuum cleaners, specifically those with the center of mass (CoM) near the handle. The current study evaluated upper extremity muscular loads associated with household floor vacuuming with the high CoM stick vacuum cleaners. Twenty participants conducted vacuuming on tiled and carpeted floors with straight and curved back-and-forth motions using medium (2.92 kg) and heavier weight (3.56 kg) cordless stick vacuums. The myoelectric signals of their upper extremity muscles were quantified during vacuuming. Mean normalized activity ranged from 8.2% to 20.2% of the maximum contraction capacity, with greater activity when vacuuming carpeted floors with a heavier vacuum cleaner. Study findings indicate that floor vacuuming with a cordless stick vacuum may not be as ergonomically efficient as assumed by their lighter weight. Instead, it is a physically demanding housekeeping activity that needs ergonomic attention.