Physical Performance Characteristics of Military Aircraft Maintenance Personnel Resistant to Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Hand and Wrist

摘要

Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), the largest portion of reported and compensated work-related diseases, represent at least one-third of all reported occupational diseases in the United States, Nordic countries, and Japan. WMSDs are responsible for more work absenteeism and disability than any other disease category in the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, and England (Punnett & Wegman, 2004). Service industries accounted for 71% of all WMSDs with lost workdays in 2003 for the United States (US). Trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; and repair and maintenance are common service industries (Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS, 2005). Within the United States Air Force (USAF), electrical and mechanical repair technicians comprised the largest occupation category in the USAF or 21% of the enlisted workforce ('Air Force enlisted demographics', 2006 June). Aircraft maintenance was the duty area resulting in the largest number of lost workdays for the USAF from fiscal years 1993 through 2002 (Copley, Burnham, & Shim, 2003).