The effect of an ergonomic intervention on musculoskeletal, psychosocial, and visual strain of VDT data entry work: the United States part of the international study.

The United States MEPS (musculoskeletal--eyestrain--psychosocial--stress) study consisted of 1 group of 28 female data entry operators. The intervention was in 3 parts: workstation redesign (including advanced ergonomic chairs, motorized adjustable workstations, advanced adjustable keyboards, adjustable copyholders, adjustable footrests, monitor support surfaces) and ergonomic training/coaching and corrective lenses. After the intervention, statistically significant reductions in physical signs (trigger points, neck and shoulder mobility), subjective reports of intensity and frequency of musculoskeletal pain, and subjective reports of visual problems were observed. Static load during the work sample, as assessed by experts, improved after the intervention as did measured postural angles of head and trunk and subjective assessment of users of ergonomic characteristics of the workplaces. For all of these measures, improvements observed 1 month after intervention were also observed in the 1-year follow-up. Trapezius load, as assessed by electromyography (EMG), decreased after intervention, but then increased in the follow-up. The increase was interpreted as a calibration problem.