Abstract
Cleaning a bathroom presents several risk factors for acute and cumulative musculoskeletal injury. This study attempted to determine if using a handled tool while cleaning a typical North American bathtub/shower combination reduces the stress placed on the musculoskeletal system when compared to the use of a spray cleaner and sponge. Nineteen right-handed female subjects cleaned a systematically dirtied shower/bathtub combination using a sponge and a handled tool 21 inches long. The subjects' rated their perceived strain and effort both during and after cleaning. Videotape was obtained simultaneously from three cameras at different locations in the test bathroom and subsequently analyzed for postural data. Subjective responses indicated that subjects felt more comfortable while using the handled tool, and the majority of respondents said they preferred it to a typical sponge and spray cleaner. Postural analysis clearly indicated that the handled tool allowed users to remain in more neutral wrist, shoulder, and trunk postures a greater percentage of the time, and enabled them to remain in less awkward, more stable foot and lower extremity positions. The handled tool significantly reduced the percentage of time that subjects spent cleaning the bathtub, but not the entire shower enclosure.
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