As the work force ages and workers retirement age increases, the number of workers suffering from Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) has increased. In a recent study, the U.S Bureau of Labor reported that 6.9% of all WMSDs affected shoulders. Electricians, carpenters, and related construction crafts appear to experience higher incidence of these injuries due the nature of their work that require them often to use Awkward shoulder postures. This research aims to develop a new monitoring system that measure the amount of time workers spend in awkward shoulder postures to help decrease the prevalence of cumulative shoulder injuries and to reduce the number of cases of shoulder WMSDs among construction workers. The monitoring system was designed and a feasibility study was conduct to compare the monitoring system with a state of the art motion tracking system. Overall the monitoring system was able to count the time spent in awkward posture as a discrete state sensor and it can be implemented in the field. However, results showed that the monitoring system in its current configuration require some future work for it to produce quantitatively precise results that can be used in the fields of biomechanics, robotics, and ergonomics.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different joint positions, rotator cuff muscle fatigue and experience on shoulder proprioceptive sense among male volleyball players. The participants of the study were 20 experienced (Mage= 20.7 &amp / #61617 / 2.8) and 20 inexperienced (Mage= 17.1 &amp / #61617 / 1.0) male volleyball players being members of first league volleyball teams. Measurements were made by Biodex System 3 pro (Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., New York, USA) and only dominant extremities were assessed. Shoulder proprioceptive sense was determined by measuring participant&rsquo / s perception of joint position sense with the joint at 90&amp / #61616 / abduction, external rotation and 90&amp / #61616 / abduction, neutral rotation. Participants were tested at a speed of 2 deg/s before and after exercising on an isokinetic testing machine until fatigued. Fatigue protocol was practiced at 60 deg/s and it was terminated when the internal rotation maximal peak torque decreased by 50%. There was significant difference between proprioceptive sense of inexperienced volleyball players at 10&amp / #61616 / -20&amp / #61616 / (p&lt / .01) and 15&amp / #61616 / -20&amp / #61616 / (p&lt / .05) in external rotation before fatigue. The difference between before and after fatigue proprioceptive sense of experienced volleyball players at 20&amp / #61616 / (p&lt / .05) was found statistically significant, whereas the significant difference was observed between before and after fatigue proprioceptive sense of inexperienced players at 10&amp / #61616 / (p&lt / .01) and 15&amp / #61616 / (p&lt / .05) in internal rotation. It was concluded that the effect of fatigue on proprioceptive sense is related with experience, but experience itself had no effect on proprioceptive sense.

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new solid-state welding technology invented at The Welding Institute of UK in 1991. It is versatile and has been widely adopted to join various materials. There has been strong research activity on revealing the details of the material flow pattern in the nugget zone induced by the conventional shoulder tool. However, there is insufficient understanding on the aspects of the scroll shoulder tool design and the shoulder flow zone formation utilizing this type of tool. The major objective of this study was to conduct experiments, analyse results and then reveal the shoulder flow zone forming mechanism for the scroll shoulder tool. The method used was to identify the flow pattern in the shoulder flow zone using a ‘marker insert’ technique, and then to suggest the forming mechanism of the shoulder flow zone based on the obtained flow pattern; although the ‘marker insert’ technique has never been used to study the shoulder flow zone flow pattern induced by the scroll shoulder tool. Experiments were conducted to examine the thick sections 6061 aluminium ‘marker insert’ welds, which were welded using a scroll shoulder tool at a range of welding parameters. These were followed by quantifying the mass of the accumulated work piece material within the scroll groove (pick up material-PUM), evaluating the effect of welding parameters on the shoulder flow zone formation, and documenting the shoulder flow zone flow pattern. The major finding was that there is a simple banded structure which forms in a layer to layer manner in the bottom portion of the shoulder flow zone, but it disappears in the top portion of the shoulder flow zone. Accordingly, the forming mechanism of the shoulder flow zone for the scroll shoulder tool was suggested as follows. Firstly, the tool pin is plunged into the work piece; the work piece material is extruded by the pin and pushed up into the scroll groove forming the PUM. Secondly, after the tool shoulder is plunged into the work piece to a certain depth, the scroll groove is fully filled up with the PUM. Finally, during the forward movement of the tool, the central portion of PUM is driven downward by the root portion of the pin and then detaches from the pin (tip portion) in a layer to layer manner. It has also found that the thickness of the shoulder flow zone varies with a thicker on the advancing side than on the retreating side, and there is a positive linear relationship between the mass of PUM and the weld quality. This study has revealed for the first time the forming mechanism of the shoulder flow zone, and has improved the understanding of the shoulder flow zone formation using a scroll shoulder tool. It is recommended that a ‘shoulder-breaking’ technique is developed to break the rotating shoulder suddenly and hence embed it into the work piece during FSW, in which a real-time shoulder-work piece couple could be produced for a better three-dimensional examination of the shoulder flow zone.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Univ., 2008. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2001. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D. )--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Cole Galloway, Dept. of Physical Therapy. Includes bibliographical references: (leaves 126-138). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: James C. Galloway, Dept. of Physical Therapy. Includes bibliographical references.

Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar os picos de momento proximal resultante (MPR) e força proximal resultante (FPR) no ombro em alguns exercícios de reabilitação (elevação no plano escapular, flexão e abdução) em três diferentes situações de carga: sem carga (SC), com peso livre (HA) e com resistência elástica (RE). Participaram do estudo 21 indivíduos do sexo masculino, destros e sem histórico de lesão no ombro direito. Para análise cinemática foram utilizadas cinco câmeras digitais conectadas a cinco microcomputadores e, para análise cinética na situação de carga com RE, foi utilizada uma célula de carga. Cada indivíduo realizou cinco repetições de cada movimento com as três situações de carga em uma ordem randomizada, totalizando a participação em nove situações para análise. Um modelo matemático tridimensional foi utilizado para o cálculo do MPR e da FPR, a partir dos eixos: póstero-anterior (x), caudal-cranial (y) e médio-lateral (z). Na análise estatística dos dados a normalidade dos dados foi confirmada por meio do teste de Shapiro-Wilk. Os dados de pico de MPR e FPR e ângulo de ocorrência desses picos nas três situações de carga e nos três diferentes movimentos foram comparados entre si em relação às suas magnitudes por meio do teste ANOVA two-way com um post hoc de Bonferroni (nível de significância de p< 0,05). Os resultados mostram que no eixo x e no z houve diferença estatisticamente significativa para todas as variáveis analisadas nos dois fatores. Já no eixo y o ângulo de ocorrência dos picos da FPR no fator movimento não apresentou diferença estatística. Houve interação dos fatores para o ângulo de ocorrência dos picos do MPR no eixo x e para o pico do MPR no eixo y. Os exercícios de reabilitação que apresentaram maior pico da FPR no eixo x e no eixo y foram o de elevação e flexão, e no eixo z o de abdução e os que apresentaram maior pico do MPR nos eixos x e y foram o de abdução, e no eixo z o de flexão e elevação. As situações de carga que apresentaram maior pico da FPR no eixo x foram a HA e a RE, e nos eixos y e z foi a HA. A situação de carga que apresentou maior pico do MPR nos três eixos foi a HA. / The objective of this study was to determine the proximal net moment (PNM) and proximal net force (PNF) peaks of the shoulder in some shoulder rehabilitation exercises (elevation, flexion and abduction) with three different load situations: without load (WL), with free load (FL) and with elastic resistance (ER). Twenty-one male subjects, right-handed and without right shoulder injury history participated in the study. For kinematics analysis, five digital cameras connected to five computers were used and, for kinetic analysis for the ER load situation, a strain gauge was used. Each subject carried out five repetitions of all movements with the three load situations in a randomized order and, therefore, participated of nine situations of analysis. A three-dimensional mathematic model was used to calculate the PNM and PNF and the axes used are: posterior-anterior (x), inferior-superior (y) and medio-lateral (z). In the data statistic analysis, data normality was confirmed by Shapiro-Wilk test. The data of PNM peak, PNF peak and angle which these peaks occur in the three different situation loads and in the three different movements were compared using a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post hoc test (significance level of 0,05). The results show that in the x and z axes there is significant statistical difference for all variables analised in the two factors. However, in the y axis the angle where the peak PNF occur does not reveals statiscal difference in the movement factor. With regard to factors interaction, there are just two significants for PNF peak angle in the x axis and for PNF peak in the y axis. In conclusion, the exercises that have the greater PNF peak in the x and y axes were elevation and flexion, and in the z axis was abduction. The exercises that have the greater PNM peak in the x and y axes was abduction and in the z axis were flexion and elevation. The load situations that presented the greater PNF peak in the x axis were FL and ER and in the y and z axes was FL. The situation load that has the greater PNM peak in all axes was FL.

Bakgrund:Axelsmärta är vanligt förekommande bland idrottare och den vanligaste orsaken till detta är rotatorcuffsrelaterad smärta. Axeln är en komplex led, både anatomiskt och kinematiskt. Inom sjukvården ska man arbeta evidensbaserat och tidigare studier har gjorts i andra länder för att jämföra nuvarande praktik vid rotatorcuffsrelaterad smärta med nuvarande evidens. Ingen sådan studie har dock genomförts i Sverige.  Frågeställningar:Vilka typer av behandlingsmetoder används vid rotatorcuffsrelaterad smärta bland fysioterapeuter i Sverige? Hur ser den nuvarande evidensen ut vid behandling av rotatorcuffsrelaterad smärta? Metod:En elektronisk enkätstudie utformades och hade ett patientfall med en vanlig presentation av en patient med rotatorcuffsrelaterad smärta som grund för respondenter att grunda sina svar på. Utöver detta genomfördes också en litteraturstudie för att undersöka nuvarande evidens.  Resultat:Överlag hade fysioterapeuter grundat sin behandling på rådgivning/utbildning och träningsterapi. Även andra passiva behandlingsmetoder förekom som alternativ fysioterapeuter skulle använda sig av. Diskussion:Svenska fysioterapeuter använder sig primärt av träningsterapi vilket grundar sig på nuvarande evidens. Passiva behandlingsmetoder används trots evidens kring dess låga effekt vid rotatorcuffsrelaterad smärta och låg kostnadseffektivitet. / Background:Shoulder pain is common among athletes and the most common cause of this is rotatorcuffrelated pain. The shoulder is a complex joint, both anatomically and kinematically. In the field of health care, one should work evidence-based and previous studies have been conducted in other countries to compare current practice in rotator cuff-related pain with current evidence. However, no such study has been conducted in Sweden. Problem statments:What types of treatment methods are used in rotator cuff-related pain among physiotherapists in Sweden? What does the current evidence look like in the treatment of rotator cuff-related pain? Methods:An electronic survey was designed, which included a patient case with a typical presentation of a patient with rotator cuff-related pain as a basis for respondents to base their answers. In addition, a literature study was also conducted to investigate current evidence. Results:Overall, physiotherapists based their treatment on counseling / education and exercise therapy. Other passive treatment methods were also found that physiotherapists would use as alternative treatments. Discussion:Swedish physiotherapists primarily use exercise therapy, which is based on current evidence. Passive treatment methods are often used despite evidence of its low effect on rotator cuff-related pain and low cost effectiveness.