Use of the Actigraph for Objective Quantification of Hand/Wrist Activity in Repetitive Work

Valid and reliable measures of hand/wrist activity are needed to address the relationship between work tasks and the development of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. The utility of the actigraph for measuring wrist activity in manual work was examined in this study. Ten grocery cashiers and four non-cashier retail workers wore actigraph monitors on both wrists and the left ankle during their normal work activities. Work activities were periodically observed and recorded on videotape. Data recorded by the actigraphs were matched against observational data. The results indicated that actigraphy was effective in detecting significant work-related variations in physical activity in the three limbs studied. Compared to traditional observational procedures, actigraphy represents a cost-effective approach for obtaining objective and quantitative information about the intensity and duration of work over long time periods. Traditional observational procedures, however, are necessary to provide additional information needed for a complete job analysis (e.g., postural data). Continuous activity recordings can be used in conjunction with sampling protocols to examine the relationship between work-related physical activities and musculoskeletal trauma.