Thermodynamic response of hands during computer work
Authors:
J. Horáček 1; J. Svačinová 2; J. Novotný 1
Authors‘ workplace:
Katedra kineziologie, Fakulta sportovních studií, Masarykova univerzita, Brno, děkan PhDr. Jan Cacek, Ph. D.
1; Fyziologický ústav, Lékařská fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Brno, prof. PharmDr. Petr Babula, Ph. D.
2
Published in:
Pracov. Lék., 73, 2021, No. 1-2, s. 6-13.
Category:
Original Papers
Overview
The aim of the study was to determine the temperature response of hands to work on a computer in a real work environment. To analyse the relationships between this response and age, gender, and subjective health problems of measured subjects. All this separately for the right, left and both hands together.
The temperature was measured with a FLIR P660 thermal camera. The measurement was performed on 26 persons (age: 34.4 years SD = 10.9 years, 21 women, 5 men).
After measuring the temperature response during the work shift, indicators describing the dynamics of these changes were determined from the measured temperatures, such as maximum temperature for the whole shift (max), minimum (min), average temperature change between individual measurements (prumer dif) and others.
Despite the different involvement of the right and left hands and the difference in gender, no statistically significant differences were observed between their responses. Certain statistically significant (p = 0.039) differences were measured when comparing the group of subjects working and not working on a personal computer. Statistically significant differences and differences with a tendency to statistical significance (p = 0.041) were found for some indicators between subjects with health difficulties attributed to employment and the group without difficulties. The comparison of measured indicators in the groups divided by age showed only a slight tendency to statistical significance (p = 0.082) for a single indicator. Indicators with a tendency to correlate were found depending on the age of the measured person (p = 0.058).
Due to the small number of measured people, the interpretation of the results can be difficult. Therefore, we recommend further research in this area. This could lead to changes in the diagnosis of hand diseases at work or to the introduction of more effective occupational hygiene standards.
Keywords:
thermography – computer work – temperature of hands
Sources
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Labels
Hygiene and epidemiology Hyperbaric medicine Occupational medicineArticle was published in
Occupational Medicine
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