Comprehensive Physical Work Capacity Evaluations for Korean Farmers Assessed in Healthy Volunteers

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Physical work capacity is crucial for agricultural workers.
• Establishing normative data is vital for assessing farmer health and safety.
• Current data specific to Korean farmers is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the lower limits of normative physical work capacity values for Korean farmers.
• To provide a benchmark for evaluating the physical demands of farming tasks.
• To establish a basis for rehabilitation and work capacity assessments in agriculture.

Main Methods:

• Developed a comprehensive evaluation protocol for physical work capacity, including strength and positional tolerance measurements relevant to farming tasks.
• Recruited 124 healthy Korean volunteers aged 20-79 years for the study.
• Measured trunk angles, various muscle strengths (grip, trunk, lifting, pushing/pulling), and positional tolerances, calculating normative values and test-retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Main Results:

• Established normative values for trunk flexion/extension angles, hand grip strength, trunk, leg/back lifting, and pushing/pulling strengths.
• Positional tolerance times were recorded for squatting, front, twist, and upward postures.
• Strength measurements showed excellent test-retest reliability (ICC, 0.91-0.96), while positional tolerance exhibited poor-to-moderate reliability (ICC, 0.37-0.58).

Conclusions:

• The study provides valuable normative data for the physical work capacity of Korean farmers.
• These findings serve as a critical tool for assessing worker suitability, rehabilitation planning, and legal evaluations in the agricultural sector.
• The established values can inform occupational health strategies and improve safety for farmers.