Biomechanics of the Upper Limbs: Mechanics, Modeling, and Musculoskeletal Injuries [Hardcover]

Andris Freivalds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 14, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0748409262 | ISBN-13: 978-0748409266 | Edition: 1

The repetitive tasks of various forms of manual work can lead to cumulative trauma disorders, increasing staff burn-out rates and the number of sick-days taken by employees. In addition, interest in upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders has grown as the service sector has claimed a larger share of the workforce. These factors introduce the need for an up-to-date text that combines basic biomechanics with practical bioengineering issues.

Biomechanics of the Upper Limbs: Mechanics, Modeling, and Musculoskeletal Injuries is an engineering oriented book focusing on upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders, as opposed to the more general introductions to cumulative trauma disorders and medical management related books. It covers musculoskeletal components of the upper extremities, their models, and the measurement and prediction of injury potential. Students and professionals will find it provides an excellent basic grounding in the subject.

Topics include:

A basic introduction to biomechanical principles

Gross structure of the musculoskeletal system, including bone and soft tissue

Organization of muscles and muscle anatomy, types of fibers, contractile theories, and muscle receptors

Modeling of muscle mechanics

Models of the upper limbs

Types of musculoskeletal disorders and the scientific evidence for risk factors, as well as epidemiology

Instrumentation for motion, pressure, force and nerve conduction measurements, and electromyography

Job and worksite analysis

Hand tools

Office environment seating and computer devices

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andris Freivalds is at Pennsylvania State University in the U.S.A. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 624 pages
• Publisher: CRC Press; 1 edition (June 14, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0748409262
• ISBN-13: 978-0748409266
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,499,445 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Chemistry > Safety

More About the Author

Dr. Andris Freivalds is Professor of Industrial Engineering and the Director of The Center for Cumulative Trauma Disorders at the Pennsylvania State University. He obtained a Ph.D. in Bioengineering in 1979 from the University of Michigan while assisting on the development of its 3D Static Strength Prediction Model. He later held a Faculty Summer Research Fellowship at the Bioengineering and Biodynamics Division of Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio, during which time he became proficient with and developed a neuromusculature for the Articulated Total Body Model. Since then, he has focused on the reduction of cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) in U.S. industries through ergonomic tool and workplace design. This effort led to the founding of the Center for Cumulative Trauma Disorders with the cooperation of the Ben Franklin Partnership of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This center has served over 90 small Pennsylvania companies in controlling their workplace hazards for the last 20 years. As part of the services to better quantify and predict the stresses of workers employed on hazardous jobs, the Penn State CTD Risk Index and the 'touch' glove were developed and with the cooperation of the Hershey Medical Center several retrospective epidemiological studies were conducted to better understand both work factors and individual attributes on an individual's likelihood for developing carpal tunnel syndrome. More recently, he has been working with Dr. Neil Sharkey to measure tendon forces during gripping in cadaver forearms. Much of the above industrial experience has been incorporated into the current textbook as well as an introductory industrial engineering textbook Methods, Standards and Work Design (McGraw-Hill, 2009). He is a Fellow of the Ergonomics Society and a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the American Society of Biomechanics. In addition he has mentored 18 Ph.D. students, most of who are now faculty members at various universities around the world.