[{"_id":"project:315","_type":"project","abstract":{"en":"Musculoskeletal disorders caused by unfavourable physical or mental loads are still a major health problem in many sectors of working life. In spite of considerable research, basic questions as to the origin, prevention and treatment of these disorders are still unsolved. This stands in the way of developing evidence based practices for designing safe work and proper rehabilitation, and it impedes a political vision of working life being inclusive, i.e. giving room even for individuals with decreased capacities. At the same time, other occupations now exhibit a critical lack of physical activity, which also entails profound consequences for public health. Thus, working life offers an arena for prevention of ill-health as well as for promotion of good health. In this context, and with a basis in a strong research environment at the University of Gävle, the FAS centre The Body at Work - from problem to potential operates with a wide research agenda. The eight Centre programs span from studies of biochemical res"},"project_id":"2009-01761_Forte","identifier_short":"2009-01761","local_ids":{"hig":["51-308/09","Projektnr: 7101"]},"dates":{"start_date":"2009-10-01","end_date":"2018-12-31"},"organizations":[{"funding":[{"id":"202100-5240","sv":"Forte"}]},{"coordinating":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}],"people":[{"project_leaders":[{"_id":"authority-person:60624","orcid":"0000-0003-1443-6211","name":"Mathiassen, Svend Erik","role":"principal_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":881805,"sv":"Arbetshälsovetenskap","en":"Occupational Health Science","parent":[{"_id":881801,"sv":"Avdelningen för arbetshälsovetenskap och psykologi","en":"Department of Occupational and Public Health Sciences","parent":[{"_id":6501,"sv":"Akademin för hälsa och arbetsliv","en":"Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]}]},{"_id":73,"sv":"Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning","en":"Centre for Musculoskeletal Research","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]}]},{"other_personnel":[{"_id":"authority-person:4864","orcid":"0000-0001-7543-4397","name":"Björklund, Martin","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":881805,"sv":"Arbetshälsovetenskap","en":"Occupational Health Science","parent":[{"_id":881801,"sv":"Avdelningen för arbetshälsovetenskap och psykologi","en":"Department of Occupational Health Science and Psychology","parent":[{"_id":6501,"sv":"Akademin för hälsa och arbetsliv","en":"Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]}]},{"_id":770,"sv":"Institutionen för samhällsmedicin och rehabilitering","en":"Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation","parent":[{"_id":716,"sv":"Medicinska fakulteten","en":"Faculty of Medicine","parent":[{"_id":715,"sv":"Umeå universitet","en":"Umeå University"}]}]},{"_id":73,"sv":"Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning","en":"Centre for Musculoskeletal Research","parent":[{"_id":62,"sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]},{"_id":"authority-person:60684","orcid":"0000-0001-7680-1929","name":"Richter, Hans","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":881805,"sv":"Arbetshälsovetenskap","en":"Occupational Health Science","parent":[{"_id":881801,"sv":"Avdelningen för arbetshälsovetenskap och psykologi","en":"Department of Occupational and Public Health Sciences","parent":[{"_id":6501,"sv":"Akademin för hälsa och arbetsliv","en":"Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]}]},{"_id":73,"sv":"Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning","en":"Centre for Musculoskeletal Research","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]},{"_id":"authority-person:62258","orcid":"0000-0002-2919-3921","name":"Zetterberg, Camilla","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":881805,"sv":"Arbetshälsovetenskap","en":"Occupational Health Science","parent":[{"_id":881801,"sv":"Avdelningen för arbetshälsovetenskap och psykologi","en":"Department of Occupational Health Science and Psychology","parent":[{"_id":6501,"sv":"Akademin för hälsa och arbetsliv","en":"Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]}]},{"_id":73,"sv":"Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning","en":"Centre for Musculoskeletal Research","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]},{"_id":"authority-person:60811","orcid":"0000-0002-2091-6396","name":"Lindberg, Per","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":73,"sv":"Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning","en":"Centre for Musculoskeletal Research","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]},{"_id":881805,"sv":"Arbetshälsovetenskap","en":"Occupational Health Science","parent":[{"_id":881801,"sv":"Avdelningen för arbetshälsovetenskap och psykologi","en":"Department of Occupational Health Science and Psychology","parent":[{"_id":6501,"sv":"Akademin för hälsa och arbetsliv","en":"Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]}]}]},{"_id":"authority-person:60812","name":"Karlsson, Thomas","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":73,"sv":"Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning","en":"Centre for Musculoskeletal Research","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]},{"_id":"authority-person:60973","orcid":"0000-0002-2804-3200","name":"Rudolfsson, Thomas","role":"co_investigator","affiliation":[{"_id":881805,"sv":"Arbetshälsovetenskap","en":"Occupational Health Science","parent":[{"_id":881801,"sv":"Avdelningen för arbetshälsovetenskap och psykologi","en":"Department of Occupational Health Science and Psychology","parent":[{"_id":6501,"sv":"Akademin för hälsa och arbetsliv","en":"Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]}]},{"_id":73,"sv":"Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning","en":"Centre for Musculoskeletal Research","parent":[{"_id":62,"id":"202100-2890","sv":"Högskolan i Gävle","en":"University of Gävle"}]}]}]}],"tags":[{"_id":11691,"id":"30303","sv":"Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin","en":"Occupational Health and Environmental Health"}],"titles":{"sv":"Forte-centrum Arbetsliv: Kroppen i arbete - från problem till potential","en":"Forte-centre Working Life:  The Body at Work - from problem to potential"},"total_funding":"45 500 000","type_of_awards":{"sv":"Bidrag till forskningsmiljö","en":"Grant to research environment"},"publications":[{"id":"diva2:1652761","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2023]]},"title":"Assessing the efficacy of a job rotation for improving occupational physical and psychosocial work environment, musculoskeletal health, social equality, production quality, and resilience at a commercial laundromat: Protocol for a longitudinal case study","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Jackson","given":"Jennie","ORCID":"0000-0003-2939-0236","localId":"jeejan","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Sund","given":"Marianne","affiliation":[{"name":"Elis Textil Service AB"}]},{"family":"Barlari Lobos","given":"Griztko","affiliation":[{"name":"Elis Textil Service AB"}]},{"family":"Melin","given":"Lars","affiliation":[{"name":"Elis Textil Service AB"}]},{"family":"Mathiassen","given":"Svend Erik","ORCID":"0000-0003-1443-6211","localId":"smn","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]}],"abstract":"Introduction: Job rotation is a work organization strategy used to reduce work‐related exposures and musculoskeletal complaints, yet evidence for the efficacy of the approach is weak. Mismatch between job rotation and company needs, lack of full implementation, lack of exposure variation in included tasks, and failure to assess variation may underlie inconclusive research findings to date. The study aims to develop a job rotation with company stakeholders, perform a process evaluation of the implementation, and determine the extent to which the intervention improves the physical and psychosocial work environment, indicators of health, gender and social equality among workers, and production quality and resilience.Methods and analysis: Approximately 60 production workers at a Swedish commercial laundromat will be recruited. Physical and psychosocial work environment conditions, health, productivity and gender and social equality will be assessed pre‐ and post‐ intervention using surveys, accelerometers, heart rate, electromyography and focus groups. A task‐based exposure matrix will be constructed, and exposure variation estimated at the level of the individual worker pre‐ and post‐ intervention. An implementation process evaluation will be conducted. Job rotation efficacy will be assessed in terms of improvement in work environment conditions, health, gender and social inequality, and production quality and resilience. This study will provide novel information on the effects of the job rotation on physical and psychosocial work environment conditions, production quality and rate, health, and gender and social inequality among blue‐collar workers in a highly multicultural workplace.Ethics and dissemination: The study received approval from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority. Results of the project will be shared directly with the employees, managers and union representatives from the participating company, other relevant labour market stakeholders, and with researchers at national and international conferences and via scientific publication.Trial registration: The study is pre‐registered with the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/zmdc8/).","DOI":"10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067633","PMID":"37173106","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85159738922","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-38429","issue":"5","volume":"13","number":"e067633","container-title":"BMJ Open","ISSN":"2044-6055","keyword":"repetitive work; variation; work task organization; work rotation; job rotation; musculoskeletal health; intervention; implementation; co‐creation; co‐created program logic; process and outcome evaluation","publisher":"BMJ","published":[{"raw":"2022-04-20T08:48:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2022-04-20T08:48:59.426+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-02T14:04:56.990+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-38429"},{"id":"diva2:1346648","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2020]]},"title":"Consistent individual motor variability traits demonstrated by females performing a long-cycle assembly task under conditions differing in temporal organisation<i></i>","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Jackson","given":"Jennie","ORCID":"0000-0003-2939-0236","localId":"jeejan","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Srinivasan","given":"Divya","ORCID":"0000-0001-9327-6177","localId":"diarsn","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA"}]},{"family":"Mathiassen","given":"Svend Erik","ORCID":"0000-0003-1443-6211","localId":"smn","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]}],"abstract":"Research suggests an association between motor variability (MV) during repetitive work and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). However, whether MV is a consistent individual trait, even across working conditions or tasks, remains unknown. This study assessed whether individual MV traits were consistent during complex work performed under different temporal conditions. Fifteen women performed cyclic assembly under four conditions differing in pace and organisation (line-type, batch-type). MV of trapezius muscle activity and upper arm elevation was quantified and partitioned into variance components. For all MV metrics, a non-zero between-subjects variance was found, indicating consistent individual MV traits across conditions. Variance between subjects was higher for electromyography (EMG) MV metrics compared with kinematic metrics. Our results showed individuals exhibited consistent MV traits across working conditions differing in pace and production process. Further research is needed to understand whether MV is an individual predictive factor for MSD onset or progression.","DOI":"10.1016/j.apergo.2020.103046","PMID":"32174342","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85077950581","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-30605","volume":"85","number":"103046","container-title":"Applied Ergonomics","ISSN":"1872-9126","keyword":"motor control; trapezius electromyography; upper arm elevation angle","publisher":"Elsevier","published":[{"raw":"2019-08-28T14:47:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2019-08-28T14:47:17.496+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-12-16T08:44:21.007+01:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-30605"},{"id":"diva2:1412814","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2020]]},"title":"Objective measures of cognitive performance in activity based workplaces and traditional office types","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Jahncke","given":"Helena","ORCID":"0000-0002-6668-5044","localId":"heajae","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Hallman","given":"David","ORCID":"0000-0002-2741-1868","localId":"dadhan","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]}],"abstract":"Distraction from the background environment while performing concentrationdemanding tasks is a common issue for office employees in shared work areas. However, few field studies have been conducted on the effects of different office types and work areas on objective measurements of cognitive performance. The first aim of the present field study was to investigate, before relocation to an activity-based workplace (ABW), differences in performance on a concentration-demanding cognitive task between individuals in shared/open-plan offices compared to cell offices. The second aim was to investigate, after relocation, how performance differs (withinperson) between different work areas within the ABW. This study included employees from five offices (n = 113), of which four relocated into an ABW. An acoustician measured the equivalent sound levels of the work areas. Data were analyzed using linear regression (aim 1) and mixed models (aim 2). Before relocation, employees working in shared/open-plan offices performed significantly worse (14%) than those in cell-offices, which had a 15 LAeq lower noise level. After relocation, employees performed significantly worse in the active zone without noise restrictions, compared to all other work areas. When shifting open-plan area from the active zone to the quiet zone cognitive performance increased significantly by 16.9%, and switching to individual working rooms increased performance by 21.9%. The results clearly demonstrate the importance for organizations to provide quiet areas or rooms with few distractions for employees working on tasks that demand concentration in an ABW. A daily drop in performance for each employee may be expensive for the organization in the long run.","DOI":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101503","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85092503300","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-32013","volume":"72","number":"101503","container-title":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","ISSN":"1522-9610","keyword":"cognitive task; memory; noise; cell office; flex office; open-plan office","publisher":"Elsevier","published":[{"raw":"2020-03-08T13:28:00.000+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2020-03-08T13:28:06.360+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-02T15:20:45.278+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-32013"},{"id":"diva2:1159270","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2019]]},"title":"Are trajectories of neck-shoulder pain associated with sick leave and work ability in workers? A 1-year prospective study","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Hallman","given":"David","ORCID":"0000-0002-2741-1868","localId":"dadhan","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Holtermann","given":"Andreas","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Dencker-Larsen","given":"Sofie","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Birk Jorgensen","given":"Marie","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Nørregaard Rasmussen","given":"Charlotte","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark"}]}],"abstract":"<b>Objectives</b>The study aimed to determine the extent to which latent trajectories of neck–shoulder pain (NSP) are associated with self-reported sick leave and work ability based on frequent repeated measures over 1 year in an occupational population.<b>Methods</b>This longitudinal study included 748 Danish workers (blue-collar, n=620; white collar, n=128). A questionnaire was administered to collect data on personal and occupational factors at baseline. Text messages were used for repeated measurements of NSP intensity (scale 0–10) over 1 year (14 waves in total). Simultaneously, selfreported sick leave (days/month) due to pain was assessed at 4-week intervals, while work ability (scale 0–10) was assessed using a single item (work ability index) at 12-week intervals over the year. Trajectories of NSP, distinguished by latent class growth analysis, were usedas predictors of sick leave and work ability in generalised estimation equations with multiple adjustments.<b>Results</b>Sick leave increased and work ability decreased across all NSP trajectory classes (low, moderate, strong fluctuating and severe persistent pain intensity). In the adjusted model, the estimated number of days on sickleave was 1.5 days/month for severe persistent NSP compared with 0.1 days/month for low NSP (relativ risk=13.8, 95% CI 6.7 to 28.5). Similarly, work ability decreased markedly for severe persistent NSP (OR=12.9,95% CI 8.5 to 19.7; median 7.1) compared with low NSP (median 9.5).<b>Conclusion</b>Severe persistent NSP was associatedwith sick leave and poor work ability over 1 year amongworkers. Preventive strategies aiming at reducing severepersistent NSP among working populations are needed.","DOI":"10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022006","PMID":"30898794","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85063278240","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-25568","volume":"9","number":"e022006","container-title":"BMJ Open","ISSN":"2044-6055","keyword":"LCGA; chronic pain; neck pain; occupational; pain trajectories","publisher":"BMJ Journals","published":[{"raw":"2017-11-22T10:58:00.000+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2017-11-22T10:58:06.776+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-02T17:42:16.006+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-25568"},{"id":"diva2:1346447","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2019]]},"title":"Calibration of self-reported time spent sitting, standing and walking among office workers: a compositional data analysis","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Hallman","given":"David","ORCID":"0000-0002-2741-1868","localId":"dadhan","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Mathiassen","given":"Svend Erik","ORCID":"0000-0003-1443-6211","localId":"smn","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"van der Beek","given":"Allard","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam"}]},{"family":"Jackson","given":"Jennie","ORCID":"0000-0003-2939-0236","localId":"jeejan","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Coenen","given":"Pieter","ORCID":"0000-0002-4034-7063","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam"}]}],"abstract":"We developed and evaluated calibration models predicting objectively measured sitting, standing and walking time from self-reported data using a compositional data analysis (CoDA) approach. A total of 98 office workers (48 women) at the Swedish Transport Administration participated. At baseline and three-months follow-up, time spent sitting, standing and walking at work was assessed for five working days using a thigh-worn accelerometer (Actigraph), as well as by self-report (IPAQ). Individual compositions of time spent in the three behaviors were expressed by isometric log-ratios (ILR). Calibration models predicting objectively measured ILRs from self-reported ILRs were constructed using baseline data, and then validated using follow-up data. Un-calibrated self-reports were inaccurate; root-mean-square (RMS) errors of ILRs for sitting, standing and walking were 1.21, 1.24 and 1.03, respectively. Calibration reduced these errors to 36% (sitting), 40% (standing), and 24% (walking) of those prior to calibration. Calibration models remained effective for follow-up data, reducing RMS errors to 33% (sitting), 51% (standing), and 31% (walking). Thus, compositional calibration models were effective in reducing errors in self-reported physical behaviors during office work. Calibration of self-reports may present a cost-e_ective method for obtaining physical behavior data with satisfying accuracy in large-scale cohort and intervention studies.","DOI":"10.3390/ijerph16173111","PMID":"31461868","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85071631368","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-30597","issue":"17","volume":"16","number":"3111","container-title":"International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health","ISSN":"1660-4601","keyword":"physical activity; sedentary behavior; oce work; accuracy; calibration; compositional data analysis","published":[{"raw":"2019-08-28T08:44:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2019-08-28T08:44:10.460+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-12-15T13:37:57.708+01:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-30597"},{"id":"diva2:1186809","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2019]]},"title":"Effect of ciliary-muscle contraction force on trapezius muscle activity during computer mouse work","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Domkin","given":"Dmitry","localId":"dmydon","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Forsman","given":"Mikael","ORCID":"0000-0001-5777-4232","localId":"milfon","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.; KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Richter","given":"Hans O.","ORCID":"0000-0001-7680-1929","localId":"hrr","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]}],"abstract":"The present study aimed to identify whether or not an increase in ciliary-muscle contraction force, when the eye-lens is adjusted for viewing at a near distance, result in an increase in trapezius muscle activity, while performing a natural work task. Twelve participants, ranging in age from 21 to 32 years, performed a computer-mouse work task during free gaze conditions. A moving visual target was tracked with a computer mouse on a screen placed at two different distances from the eyes, 25 cm and 50 cm. Tracking performance, eye accommodation, and bilateral trapezius muscle activity were measured continuously. Ciliary-muscle contraction force was computed according to a formula which takes into account the age-dependent, non-linear relationship between contraction force of the ciliary muscle and the produced level of eye accommodation. Generalized Estimating Equations analyses were performed. On the dominant hand side and for the nearest screen distance, there was a significant effect of ciliary-muscle contraction force on the trapezius muscle activity (p&lt;0.001). No other effects were significant (p&gt;0.05). The results support the hypothesis that high visual demands, during computer mouse work, increase ciliary muscle contraction force and contribute to a raise of the sustained level of trapezius muscle activity. The current study specifically clarifies the validity of the relationship between ciliary-muscle contraction force and trapezius muscle activity and demonstrates that this relationship is not due to a general personal trait. We conclude that a high level of ciliary muscle contraction force can contribute to a development of musculoskeletal complaints in the neck-shoulder area.","DOI":"10.1007/s00421-018-4031-8","PMID":"30430279","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85056460114","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-26194","issue":"2","volume":"119","page":"389-397","container-title":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","ISSN":"1439-6327","keyword":"Ciliary-muscle contraction force; Computer mouse work; Electromyography; Eye-accommodation; Trapezius muscle; Visual ergonomics","published":[{"raw":"2018-03-01T13:06:00.000+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2018-03-01T13:06:30.730+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-02T17:13:19.684+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-26194"},{"id":"diva2:1343440","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2019]]},"title":"Predictive models for short-term and long-term improvement in women under physiotherapy for chronic disabling neck pain : a longitudinal cohort study","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Bohman","given":"Tony","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Bottai","given":"Matteo","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Björklund","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0001-7543-4397","localId":"mbb","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden"},{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]}],"abstract":"Objectives To develop predictive models for short-term and long-term clinically important improvement in women with non-specific chronic disabling neck pain during the clinical course of physiotherapy. Design Longitudinal cohort study based on data from a randomised controlled trial evaluating short-term and long-term effects on sensorimotor function over 11 weeks of physiotherapy. Participants and settings Eighty-nine women aged 31-65 years with non-specific chronic disabling neck pain from Gavle, Sweden. Measures The outcome, clinically important improvement, was measured with the Patient Global Impression of Change Scale (PGICS) and the Neck Disability Index (NDI), assessed by self-administered questionnaires at 3, 9 and 15 months from the start of the interventions (baseline). Twelve baseline prognostic factors were considered in the analyses. The predictive models were built using random-effects logistic regression. The predictive ability of the models was measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Internal validity was assessed with cross-validation using the bootstrap resampling technique. Results Factors included in the final PGICS model were neck disability and age, and in the NDI model, neck disability, depression and catastrophising. In both models, the odds for short-term and long-term improvement increased with higher baseline neck disability, while the odds decreased with increasing age (PGICS model), and with increasing level of depression (NDI model). In the NDI model, higher baseline levels of catastrophising indicated increased odds for short-term improvement and decreased odds for long-term improvement. Both models showed acceptable predictive validity with an AUC of 0.64 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.73) and 0.67 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.75), respectively. Conclusion Age, neck disability and psychological factors seem to be important predictors of improvement, and may inform clinical decisions about physiotherapy in women with chronic neck pain. Before using the developed predictive models in clinical practice, however, they should be validated in other populations and tested in clinical settings.","DOI":"10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024557","PMID":"31023751","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85065220930","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-30510","issue":"4","volume":"9","number":"e024557","container-title":"BMJ Open","ISSN":"2044-6055","publisher":"BMJ Publishing Group Ltd","note":"Funding: Alfta Research Foundation","published":[{"raw":"2019-08-16T14:28:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2019-08-16T14:28:35.797+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-02T15:41:29.361+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-30510"},{"id":"diva2:1201472","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2019]]},"title":"Promoting health and physical capacity during productive work : the Goldilocks Principle","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Holtermann","given":"Andreas","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen"}]},{"family":"Mathiassen","given":"Svend Erik","ORCID":"0000-0003-1443-6211","localId":"smn","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Straker","given":"Leon","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, Australia"}]}],"abstract":"<b>Objectives</b>In spite of preventive efforts, organizations and employees face several challenges related to working life and occupational health, such as a substantial prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, social inequality in health and physical capacity, multi-morbidity, an obesity epidemic and an aging workforce. We argue that a new approach for occupational ergonomics and health is required, going beyond prevention of harm caused by work. We propose the ´Goldilocks Principle´ as a new approach of how productive work can be designed to literally promote health and physical capacity.<b>Methods                  </b>Physical (in)activity profoundly influences health and physical capacity, with effects depending on the extent and temporal structure of the (in)activity. Like the porridge, chair and bed that needed to be ‘just right’ for Goldilocks in the fairy-tale of ´The Three Bears´, physical activity during productive work needs to be ‘just right’ for promoting rather than deteriorating health and capacity. In many jobs, physical activity is, however, either ’too much/high/frequent’ or ’too little/low/infrequent’ to give positive biomechanical and cardiometabolic stimuli. <b></b><b>Results</b>The paper presents the rationale, concept, development, application and prospects of the Goldilocks Principle for how productive work can be designed to promote health and physical capacity.<b>Conclusions </b>We envision a great potential to promote health and physical capacity by designing productive work according to the Goldilocks Principle, thus leading to benefits with respect to the current challenges related to working life and occupational health for society, organizations and employees.","DOI":"10.5271/sjweh.3754","PMID":"30021029","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85055081942","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-26505","issue":"1","volume":"45","page":"90-97","container-title":"Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health","ISSN":"1795-990X","keyword":"Physical activity; Physical work demands; Sedentary behaviour; Workplace health promotion; Ergonomics; Occupational health","publisher":"NOROSH","published":[{"raw":"2018-04-25T20:46:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2018-04-25T20:46:47.602+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-12-15T14:01:20.262+01:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-26505"},{"id":"diva2:1320783","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2019]]},"title":"Sick leave due to musculoskeletal pain : determinants of distinct trajectories over 1 year","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Hallman","given":"David","ORCID":"0000-0002-2741-1868","localId":"dadhan","affiliation":[{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Holtermann","given":"Andreas","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Björklund","given":"Martin","ORCID":"0000-0001-7543-4397","localId":"mbb","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden"},{"id":"881805","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Gupta","given":"Nidhi","localId":"niigua","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Nørregaard Rasmussen","given":"Charlotte D.","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark"}]}],"abstract":"PurposeThis study aimed to identify sub-groups of workers with different trajectories of sick leave due to musculoskeletalpain over 1 year, and to investigate the extent to which the identified trajectories are associated with personal, occupational,lifestyle, and pain-related factors at baseline.MethodsData on 981 blue- and white-collar workers were analyzed in the DPHACTO cohort (2012–2014). The numberof days on sick leave due to pain was reported using text messages at 4-week intervals across 1 year. Latent class growthanalysis was used to distinguish sub-groups with different trajectories of sick leave. A web-based questionnaire at baselinewas used to assess personal, occupational (physical and psychosocial), lifestyle, and pain-related factors. Multinomial regressionmodels were constructed to determine associations between baseline factors and trajectories of sick leave (referencingno sick leave), with adjustment for potential confounders.ResultsFour distinct sub-groups were identified, with trajectories of sick leave due to pain ranging from no sick leave(prevalence 76%; average 0.5 days/year) to some days and increasing sick leave due to pain over 1 year (2%; 89 days/year).The increasing trajectory of sick leave was associated with higher perceived physical exertion, more time in manual work,less social community and influence at work, less leisure-time physical activity, smoking, and more severe symptoms (e.g.,multisite pain, low back pain intensity, and pain interference).ConclusionsWe identified four distinct trajectories of sick leave due to musculoskeletal pain. The sub-group with increasingsick leave due to pain was associated with several modifiable physical and psychosocial factors at work and outside work,which may have implications for prevention.","DOI":"10.1007/s00420-019-01447-y","PMID":"31165308","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85067077539","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-29674","issue":"8","volume":"92","page":"1099-1108","container-title":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health","ISSN":"1432-1246","keyword":"Longitudinal; Risk factors; Sickness absence; Workers","publisher":"Springer","published":[{"raw":"2019-06-05T15:37:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2019-06-05T15:37:21.336+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-12-11T16:17:15.605+01:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-29674"},{"id":"diva2:1117418","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2018]]},"title":"Is self-reported time spent sedentary and in physical activity differentially biased by age, gender, body mass index and low-back pain?","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Gupta","given":"Nidhi","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark"}]},{"family":"Heiden","given":"Marina","ORCID":"0000-0002-5055-0698","localId":"mhd","affiliation":[{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Mathiassen","given":"Svend Erik","ORCID":"0000-0003-1443-6211","localId":"smn","affiliation":[{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Holtermann","given":"Andreas","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark "}]}],"abstract":"<b>Objectives</b> We aimed at determining the extent to which age, gender, BMI and low back pain (LBP) influence bias in self-reported sedentary behavior and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among blue-collar workers. <b>Methods</b> 147 workers wore an Actigraph accelerometer on the thigh for 2-4 consecutive working days. Proportional time spent sedentary and in MVPA was determined using the Acti4 software. The same variables were also self-reported in a questionnaire. The difference between self-reported and accelerometer-based sedentary time and MVPA was calculated and linearly regressed against age, gender, BMI, and self-reported LBP intensity as main effects, as well as interaction terms combining each of these factors with objectively measured exposure.   <b>Results</b> Workers objectively spent 64% of their time sedentary and 9% in MVPA. On average, self-reports underestimated sedentary time by 1.5 time percentage points and overestimated MVPA by 5.5%. Workers with mild/no LBP appeared to have the same size of self-report bias in MVPA regardless of how much MVPA they actually had, while workers with high LBP overestimated MVPA to an increasing extent with increasing exposure (interaction: B 0.29, 95%CI 0.05 to 0.53). Age was positively associated with self-report bias in sedentary time (B=0.31, 95%CI=0.09 - 0.54, P=0.008) regardless of actual sedentary time.<b>Conclusion</b>s LBP and age, but not BMI and gender, introduced differential bias in self-reported information on sedentary behavior and MVPA among blue-collar workers. This result suggests that bias correction in future studies based on self-reports of sedentary time and MVPA should account for LBP and age.","DOI":"10.5271/sjweh.3693","PMID":"29184965","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85042866971","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-24600","issue":"2","volume":"44","page":"163-170","container-title":"Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health","ISSN":"1795-990X","keyword":"Measurement error; exposure modelling; questionnaire; musculoskeletal pain","publisher":"NOROSH","published":[{"raw":"2017-06-28T22:50:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2017-06-28T22:50:06.624+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-12-11T08:47:24.687+01:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-24600"},{"id":"diva2:1163808","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2018]]},"title":"Prefrontal cortex activity evoked by convergence load under conflicting stimulus-to-accommodation and stimulus-to-vergence eye-movements measured by NIRS : Prefrontal cortex oxygenation and visual fatigue","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Richter","given":"Hans","ORCID":"0000-0001-7680-1929","localId":"hrr","affiliation":[{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Forsman","given":"Mikael","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Elcadi","given":"Guilherme H.","ORCID":"0000-0001-5005-9957","localId":"gueeli","affiliation":[{"id":"875956","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Idrottsvetenskap"}]},{"family":"Brautaset","given":"R.","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Optometry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden"}]},{"family":"Marsh","given":"John E.","localId":"jonmah","affiliation":[{"id":"875972","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Miljöpsykologi"},{"name":"School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom"}]},{"family":"Zetterberg","given":"Camilla","ORCID":"0000-0002-2919-3921","localId":"caalon","affiliation":[{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"},{"name":"Section of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden"}]}],"abstract":"<b>Purpose</b>: To extend our knowledge of the functional linkages between visual fatigueand regional cerebral prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygenation, we measured time related hemodynamic changes over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) duringconvergence load under conflicting stimulus-to-accommodation and stimulus-tovergence eye movements with and without concurrent mental load.<b>Methods</b>: Twenty healthy participants with a median age of 28 years (range:18–44 years) fixated upon a vertical bar presented separately to the left andright eyes, using polarized filters, during four counterbalanced 10-min periods:(i) no accommodation/vergence conflict (Control, Ctrl); (ii) added convergenceload and accommodation/vergence conflict (Conv); (iii) added cognitive load only(Cog) and; (iv) a combination of added cognitive and convergence load andaccommodation/vergence conflict (Cc). Viewing distance was 65 cm. Non-invasivemeasurements of hemodynamic activity over the dlPFC were quantified by functionalnear-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). During the two-convergence load conditions, thehorizontal disparity of the two bars varied dynamically from no disparity to a disparityset 20% below the individual threshold for diplopia. Cognitive load was induced by then-back-2 test which required the subject to memorize and recall the changing colorsof the horizontal bars and decide when a given color was the same as that occurring two colors previously. fNIRS data were averaged over 10-s windows centered at 0, 2,4, 6, 8, and 10 min of each task, subtracted from a 20-s baseline window immediatelypreceding the visual task, and then represented as changes in oxygenated hemoglobin(ΔHbO2); deoxygenated hemoglobin (ΔHHb) and total hemoglobin (ΔtHb).<b>Results</b>: Linear mixed model analyses showed that hemodynamic activity wassystematically influenced by time (p &lt; 0.001). The group-averaged time-related levelof change across the viewing conditions did not differ when compared with one another(p &gt; 0.05). Larger convergence eye-movement responses under conflicting stimulus-to accommodation,and stimulus-to-vergence over time, increased ΔHbO2 and ΔtHb onlyin condition Cc and after 8 min of task time (p &lt; 0.10 for min<sup>-6</sup> and min<sup>-8</sup>: p &lt; 0.05 for min<sup>-10</sup>).<b>Discussion</b>: Collectively, our data suggest that HbO2, HHb, and tHb, recorded over the dlPFC with fNIRS, can be used to assay the degree to which supervisory oculomotorcontrol processes are activated during visually deficient near work.","DOI":"10.3389/fnhum.2018.00298","PMID":"30104967","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85054772976","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-25766","volume":"12","number":"298","container-title":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","ISSN":"1662-5161","keyword":"Visual fatigue; Accommodation; Compensatory effort; Convergence; Disparity; Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS); Time series analysis; Visual ergonomics","publisher":"Frontiers Media S.A.","note":"Corrigendum: Prefrontal Cortex Oxygenation Evoked by Convergence Load Under Conflicting Stimulus-to-Accommodation and Stimulus-to-Vergence Eye-Movements Measured by NIRS DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00384ScopusId: 2-s2.0-85054817559 ISI-id: 000445088000001 PubMedID: 30271336","published":[{"raw":"2017-12-08T10:10:00.000+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2017-12-08T10:10:25.784+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-02T17:39:42.518+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-25766"},{"id":"diva2:907860","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2017]]},"title":"Observer variability in posture assessment from video recordings : the effect of partly visible periods","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Trask","given":"Catherine","localId":"caetrk","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada"},{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Mathiassen","given":"Svend Erik","ORCID":"0000-0003-1443-6211","localId":"smn","affiliation":[{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Rostami","given":"Mehdi","affiliation":[{"name":"Collaborative Biostatistics Program, School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada"}]},{"family":"Heiden","given":"Marina","ORCID":"0000-0002-5055-0698","localId":"mhd","affiliation":[{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]}],"abstract":"Observers rank partly visible postures on video frames differently than fully visible postures, but it’s not clear if this is due to differences in observer perception. This study investigated the effect of posture visibility on between-observer variability in assessments of trunk and arm posture.  Trained observers assessed trunk and arm postures from video recordings of 84 pulp mill shifts using a work sampling approach; postures were also categorized as ‘fully’ or ‘partly’ visible.  Between-worker, between-day, and between-observer variance components and corresponding confidence intervals were calculated. Although no consistent gradient was seen for the right upper arm, trunk posture showed smaller between-observer variance when all observers rated a posture as fully visible. This suggests that, partly- visible data, especially when observers disagree as to the level of visibility, introduces more between-observer variability when compared to fully visible data.  Some previously-identified differences in daily posture summaries may be related to this phenomenon.","DOI":"10.1016/j.apergo.2016.12.009","PMID":"28166886","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85007047071","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-21286","volume":"60","page":"275-281","container-title":"Applied Ergonomics","ISSN":"1872-9126","keyword":"Observation; inter-rater agreement; posture; exposure assessment; pulp mill","published":[{"raw":"2016-02-29T23:31:00.000+01:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2016-02-29T23:31:41.953+01:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-02T08:53:07.607+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-21286"},{"id":"diva2:924763","type":"article-journal","status":"Published","issued":{"date-parts":[[2017]]},"title":"Predicting directly measured trunk and upper arm postures in paper mill work from administrative data, workers’ ratings and posture observations","language":"eng","author":[{"family":"Heiden","given":"Marina","ORCID":"0000-0002-5055-0698","localId":"mhd","affiliation":[{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Garza","given":"Jennifer","localId":"jergaa","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, USA"},{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Trask","given":"Catherine","localId":"caetrk","affiliation":[{"name":"Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada"},{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]},{"family":"Mathiassen","given":"Svend Erik","ORCID":"0000-0003-1443-6211","localId":"smn","affiliation":[{"id":"875951","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Arbetshälsovetenskap"},{"id":"73","name":"Högskolan i Gävle, Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning"}]}],"abstract":"<b>Introduction: </b>A cost-efficient alternative to measuring working postures directly could be to build statistical models for predicting results of such measurements from cheaper data, and apply these models to samples in which only the latter data are available. The present study aimed to build and assess the performance of statistical models predicting inclinometer-assessed trunk and arm posture among paper mill workers. Separate models were built using administrative data, workers’ ratings of their exposure, and observations of the work from video recordings as predictors.<b>Methods:</b> Trunk and upper arm postures were measured using inclinometry on 28 paper mill workers during three work shifts each. Simultaneously, the workers were video filmed, and their postures were assessed by observation of the videos afterwards. Workers’ ratings of exposure, and administrative data on staff and production during the shifts were also collected. Linear mixed models were fitted for predicting inclinometer-assessed exposure variables (median trunk and upper arm angle, proportion of time with neutral trunk and upper arm posture, and frequency of periods in neutral trunk and upper arm inclination) from administrative data, workers’ ratings, and observations, respectively. Performance was evaluated in terms of Akaike information criterion, proportion of variance explained (R<sup>2</sup>), and standard error of the model estimate (SE). For models performing well, validity was assessed by bootstrap resampling.<b>Results: </b>Models based on administrative data performed poorly (R<sup>2</sup>≤15%) and would not be useful for assessing posture in this population. Models using workers’ ratings of exposure performed slightly better (8%≤R<sup>2</sup>≤27% for trunk posture; 14%≤R<sup>2</sup>≤36% for arm posture). The best model was obtained when using observational data for predicting frequency of periods with neutral arm inclination. It explained 56% of the variance in the postural exposure, and its SE was 5.6. Bootstrap validation of this model showed similar expected performance in other samples (5<sup>th</sup>-95<sup>th</sup> percentile: R<sup>2</sup>=45-63%; SE=5.1-6.2).<b>Conclusions:</b> Observational data had a better ability to predict inclinometer-assessed upper arm exposures than workers’ ratings or administrative data, but they are typically more expensive to obtain. The results encourage comparisons of the cost-efficiency of modeling based on administrative data, workers’ ratings, and observation.","DOI":"10.1093/annweh/wxw026","PMID":"28395353","ScopusId":"2-s2.0-85017305651","NBN":"urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-21448","issue":"2","volume":"61","page":"207-217","container-title":"Annals of Work Exposures and Health","ISSN":"2398-7316 ","keyword":"exposure assessment; statistical modeling; musculoskeletal epidemiology","published":[{"raw":"2016-04-29T08:05:00.000+02:00"}],"created":[{"raw":"2016-04-29T08:05:53.682+02:00"}],"updated":[{"raw":"2025-10-02T08:50:41.303+02:00"}],"URL":"https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-21448"}],"links":[{"type":"pid","link":"https://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/api/project/swecris/project:315"}]}]