School of Design & Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland.
Department of Clinical Therapies, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Jan 11;15(1):115. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15010115.
The objective of this study was to investigate if a breathing technique could counteract the effects of hyperventilation due to a sustained attention task on shoulder muscle activity.
The trend towards higher levels of automation in industry is increasing. Consequently, manufacturing operators often monitor automated process for long periods of their work shift. Prolonged monitoring work requires sustained attention, which is a cognitive process that humans are typically poor at and find stressful. As sustained attention becomes an increasing requirement of manufacturing operators' job content, the resulting stress experienced could contribute to the onset of many health problems, including work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs).
The SART attention test was completed by a group of participants before and after a breathing intervention exercise. The effects of the abdominal breathing intervention on breathing rate, upper trapezius muscle activity and end-tidal CO₂ were evaluated.
The breathing intervention reduced the moderation effect of end-tidal CO₂ on upper trapezius muscle activity.
Abdominal breathing could be a useful technique in reducing the effects of sustained attention work on muscular activity.
This research can be applied to highly-automated manufacturing industries, where prolonged monitoring of work is widespread and could, in its role as a stressor, be a potential contributor to WRMSDs.
本研究旨在探讨一种呼吸技术是否可以抵消持续注意力任务引起的过度通气对肩部肌肉活动的影响。
工业向更高水平自动化发展的趋势日益明显。因此，制造操作员在工作班次中经常长时间监控自动化过程。长时间的监控工作需要持续的注意力，这是人类通常不擅长的认知过程，而且会让人感到压力。随着持续注意力成为制造操作员工作内容的日益要求，由此产生的压力可能会导致许多健康问题的出现，包括与工作相关的肌肉骨骼疾病（WRMSD）。
一组参与者在进行呼吸干预练习前后完成 SART 注意力测试。评估了腹式呼吸干预对呼吸频率、上斜方肌活动和呼气末 CO₂的影响。
呼吸干预降低了呼气末 CO₂对上斜方肌活动的调节作用。
腹式呼吸可能是一种有用的技术，可以减轻持续注意力工作对肌肉活动的影响。
这项研究可以应用于高度自动化的制造业，在这些行业中，长时间的工作监控很普遍，而且可能作为一种压力源，成为 WRMSD 的潜在诱因。
