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Brief description of the principles and use of EMG measurements
• Measures the electric activity of muscles
• Electrodes are glued to the skin covering the muscle
• The weak voltage (microvolts, µV) between two electrodes is measured,
and the result is comparable to muscle activity
• The measurement is recorded, and the results are processed by a
computer
• The results can used to assess a person’s performance in relation to
different conditions (work method, work equipment, furniture)
The ergonomics of microscope work
J. Sillanpää1 and M. Nyberg
1
1 Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 486, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland
By nature, work with microscopes demands precision and the ability to concentrate over long periods of time, and it
requires the worker to maintain static work postures that strains the musculoskeletal system. Ergonomics has a special
status with respect to the development and improvement of microscope work. This section presents means with which to
develop and improve microscope work, and it provides an ergonomic guide for this type of work.
Keywords microscope work; ergonomics; musculoskeletal system
1. Introduction
By nature, work with microscopes demands precision and the ability to concentrate over long periods of time. In their
work, microscopists often have to maintain static work postures that strain the musculoskeletal system. In addition to
the load on the musculoskeletal system, microscope work causes eye strain, which, in turn, is related to muscular strain.
Microscopists experience a significant number of musculoskeletal symptoms. In some studies, low-back pain, neck
pain, and tension headaches have been reported by as high as 80% of microscopists [1, 2]. Electromyographic (EMG)
examinations of microscopists have revealed that, after 4 hours of work with a microscope, muscle strain in the neck
and shoulder region and in the back is 25%–65% greater than at the beginning of the work [3]. It has been shown that
EMG examinations can efficiently assess the success of ergonomic actions [4, 5]. The box below presents a short
description of the principles and use of EMG measurements.
In an article on microscope work in the electronic industry, Helander et al. [7] recommended, for example, more
efficient product design, the replacement of microscopes by projected images, better ergonomic design of microscope
workstations and microscopes, training of microscope users and work rotation, as well as the restriction of continuous
work, as means with which to develop and improve microscope work. In the next section, case examples are used to
illustrate how microscope work can be improved.
2. Case examples
2.1 Head support (forehead)
Looking through a microscope requires keeping the head in the same exact position for long periods. This prerequisite
especially strains the neck muscles, especially if the ocular angle is great. One possibility is to attach a head support to
the microscope. The support helps the head to remain in the proper position and therefore lessens the strain in the neck
muscles.
In one workplace, an experiment was carried out with a new microscope table and a head support fastened to a
microscope as a means of stabilizing the position of the head (the eyes directed towards the ocular aperture). The
microscopist alternated 10 times between working at her old workstation, then at a new table without a head support
and finally at the new table while using a head support (Fig. 1), working at each station for a period of 1 minute each
time. Between each test period there was a 1-minute rest period. The task was planned so that the microscopist worked
only with the microscope during each work period. EMG signals were recorded from muscles in the neck–shoulder
region and the back during the experiment. The use of the new table improved the microscopist’s work posture with
Microscopy: Science, Technology, Applications and Education A. Méndez-Vilas and J. Díaz (Eds.)