Bootstrap exploration of the duration of surface electromyography sampling in relation to the precision of exposure estimation

Nathan B Fethke; Dan Anton; Joseph E Cavanaugh; Fred Gerr; Thomas M Cook

doi:10.5271/sjweh.1155

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Bootstrap exploration of the duration of surface electromyography sampling in relation to the precision of exposure estimation

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Bootstrap exploration of the duration of surface electromyography sampling in relation to the precision of exposure estimation

Nathan B Fethke, Dan Anton, Joseph E Cavanaugh, Fred Gerr and Thomas M Cook

Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, Vol.33(5), pp.358-367

10/2007

DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.1155

PMID: 17973062

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Abstract

This study examined the effect of sampling duration, in units of work cycles, on the precision of estimates of exposure to forceful exertion obtained with surface electromyography (EMG). Recordings of the activity of the flexor digitorum superficialis, extensor digitorum, and upper trapezius muscles over 30 consecutive work cycles were obtained for a random sample of 25 manufacturing workers, each of whom was performing a unique production task representing a portion of the whole job. The mean root-mean-square amplitude and the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of the distribution function of the amplitude probability were calculated for each cycle. Bootstrap analyses were used to examine the precision of the summary measures as the sampling duration increased incrementally from 1 to 30 work cycles. Precision was estimated by calculating the coefficient of variation (CV) of the bootstrap distributions at each sampling duration increment. The average minimum sampling duration for a bootstrap distribution CV of 15% ranged from 2.0 (SD 1.5) cycles to 7.5 (SD 9.6) cycles, depending on muscle and summary measure. For a 5% CV, the average minimum sampling duration ranged from 11.9 (SD 9.0) to 20.9 (SD 10.5) cycles. The results suggest that sampling as few as three work cycles was sufficient to obtain a bootstrap distribution CV of 15% for some of the muscles and summary measures examined in this study. While limited to machine-paced, cyclic manufacturing work, these results will assist the development of exposure assessment strategies in future epidemiologic studies of physical risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders.

Work Schedule Tolerance - physiology

Ergometry - methods

Physical Exertion - physiology

United States

Humans

Middle Aged

Male

Models, Statistical

Muscle, Skeletal - physiology

Sampling Studies

Occupational Exposure - analysis

Adult

Female

Electromyography

Details

Title: Subtitle: Bootstrap exploration of the duration of surface electromyography sampling in relation to the precision of exposure estimation
Creators: Nathan B Fethke - [corrected] East Tennessee State University, [corrected] Johnson City, Tennessee, USA [corrected] nathan-fethke@uiowa.edu
Dan Anton
Joseph E Cavanaugh
Fred Gerr
Thomas M Cook
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, Vol.33(5), pp.358-367
DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.1155
PMID: 17973062
NLM abbreviation: Scand J Work Environ Health
ISSN: 0355-3140
eISSN: 1795-990X
Publisher: Finland
Grant note: R01/OH007945-01A1 / NIOSH CDC HHS T42/OH008491 / NIOSH CDC HHS
Language: English
Date published: 10/2007
Academic Unit: Statistics and Actuarial Science; Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health; International Programs; Epidemiology; Biostatistics; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9983985717002771

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