Despite the widespread popularity of tattoos in the U.S. and worldwide, little consideration hasbeen given to the occupational risk factors that tattoo artists face. Tattoo artists are exposed tomany of the same risk factors faced by occupations such as dentistry and cosmetology, includingprolonged static work postures and sustained gripping of hand held tools. However, no researchhas evaluated the extent to which the tattooing profession is adversely affected by its occupationaldemands. Utilizing a survey of tattoo artists, this research sought to benchmark the prevalence ofsymptoms commonly associated with the development of musculoskeletal disorders. The surveyresults revealed that tattoo artists experience high levels of discomfort in the lower back, neck,shoulders, and upper extremities and that these levels significantly exceed discomfort reported inprofessions that expose workers to similar ergonomic risk factors.
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