Physical activity and loading among commercial construction workers

Physical activity and loading among commercial construction workers Oscar E. Arias, Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, Peter Umukoro, Sonja Stoffel, Glorian Sorensen and Jack Dennerlein

Construction workers

Physical Activity

Physical Activity Moderate Vigorous

Research question: How does construction work contribute to a workers moderate and vigorous levels of activity? Physical demands at work Moderate and vigorous physical Activity

Aims 1. Measure and characterize physical activity at work and outside of work among 60 commercial construction workers during seven consecutive days. 2. Measure and characterize trunk flexion while at work during a single shift..

Hypotheses H1: Construction workers do not meet recommended U.S. levels of physical activity. H2:Construction workers have bending profiles associated with higher risk for low back pain..

Hypotheses H3: Physical activity at work is positively associated to levels of perceived exertion at work. H4: A construction worker s trunk posture is associated to their direct measure of physical activity levels while at work..

Methods: Participants Cross-sectional observational study Convenience sample 60 workers Dec/12 to Mar/13 Five construction sites

Self-Reported Survey Data Collected Day #1: Accelerometer Log End of Shift Physical Demands Day #7: PACES Survey collected measures on: Worker Demographics Job Demands Fatigue Pain and Injury Physical Activity

Physical Activity Accelerometry 7 Days Parsed data into work and non-work Each minute assigned to Sedentary (Sitting) Lifestyle and Light (standing) Moderate (walking) Vigorous (running) Minutes of Moderate and Vigorous in modified 10-minute bouts Freedson. Med Sci Sports Exerc. May 1998;30(5):777-781. Troiano. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Jan 2008;40(1):181-188.

Trunk flexion Inclinometer G-Link, Microstrain Recorded 5 samples per second Data processing Duration in different levels of flexion Frequency of forward bends at: 20 degrees 45 degrees Faber et al. J. Biomech. 2009;42(14):2406-2409 Teschke et al. Ergonomics. 2009;52(9), 1067-1078

Participants

Work contribution to physical activity

Work contribution to physical activity Not including 10-minute bouts, the workers met recommended PA minutes Work 231 minutes of the 150 required U.S. Guidelines recommend: 150 Minutes of moderate per week

Work contributions to physical activity U.S. Guidelines recommend: 150 Minutes of moderate per week

Work contributions to physical activity Including 10-minute bouts, workers did not met recommended minutes U.S. Guidelines recommend: 150 Minutes of moderate per week

Whole week contribution to physical activity

Whole week contribution to physical activity Not including 10-minute bouts, workers met the recommended minutes Week 375 minutes of the 150 required U.S. Guidelines recommend: 150 Minutes of moderate per week

Whole week contributions to physical activity Including 10-minute bouts, workers did not meet recommended minutes U.S. Guidelines recommend: 150 Minutes of moderate per week

Construction Workers vs PCU workers * When comparing without 10 minutes bouts At work Whole week

Construction Workers vs PCU workers * When comparing with 10 minutes bouts At work

Trunk Flexion (% Shift) 71% -10 7% 20 15% 45 7%

Frequency of flexion (% Shift) -10 20 177/hour 45 68/hour

Overall exposure Flexion did vary across individuals creating different exposure levels LO W 16 MEDIUM 30 HIG H 10 < 15 of trunk flexion during 86% of the time at work is protective. Fathallah > 20 of trunk flexion during 33% of the time at work is an important risk. Punnet (1991) and (1998). Keyserling (1992). Fathallah et al. Spine. 1998, 23(9), 1035-1042. Punnett et al. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1991, 17(5), 337-346. Keyserling et al. Journal of Industrial Ergonomics.1992, 9, 238-301.

Construction Workers vs PCU workers Trunk posture:

Spearman s correlation Different parameters of trunk posture vs. physical activity in minutes

Spearman s correlation Perceived exertion vs. directly measured physical activity (minutes) during a single shift.

Study limitations Accelerometer Small convenient population Trunk flexion vs. Lifting

Conclusions Among construction workers, work contributes in meeting the recommended levels of physical activity. Compared to PCU workers, construction workers achieve much more moderate levels of physical activity at work.

Conclusions Among construction workers, trunk posture during a single shift contributes to meeting recommended levels for physical activity. Messages for improving and promoting cardiovascular health for construction workers must consider these results.

Acknowledgments Jack Dennerlein Glorian Sorensen Alberto Caban Torey Jerauld Peter Umukoro Mia Goldwasser Kincaid Lowe Ergonomic Lab

Thank you!

.. How physically demanding was your shift today? Circle one of the numbers from 6 to 20. 4.. On a typical shift, how physically demanding is your shift. Circle one of the numbers from 6 to 20. Perceived exertion

Perceived exertion