Functional and Cellular Alterations to Work-Related Repetitive Tasks: A Feasibility Study
| Principal investigator(s): | Howard J. Green (University of Waterloo) |
| Co-investigator(s): | Don Ranney, Rich Hughson (University of Waterloo) |
| Institution: | University of Waterloo |
For more information on this study, please contact Howard J. Green: green@healthy.uwaterloo.ca
Results
For this study, a wide range of cellular properties have been measured on injured workers and healthy volunteers. These included measures of excitation-contraction coupling proteins and processes, metabolic pathways potentials and resting energy metabolism. Preliminary findings indicate deficiencies in the sacroplasmic reticulum and calcium cycling. Standardized protocols and between-day reliability estimates have been established for mechanical function, blood flow, and metabolism.
Conclusions
The work demonstrates that the research designed to investigate the cellular basis of work-related myalgia is feasible. Moreover, evidence has been provided as to a possible cause. Further work is now warranted with larger groups focussed on investigating the calcium hypothesis and whether cellular disturbances are accompanied by differences in muscle mechanics, fatigability, blood flow, and metabolism.
Objective
The overall aim of the research is to determine if a biologic pathway exists in the muscle cell to explain work-related musculoskeletal disorders such as myalgia. Given the invasive nature of the procedures necessary to secure tissue samples, financial support was provided to demonstrate that the study was feasible and that injured workers could be recruited in sufficient numbers. In addition, as part of the feasibility support, it was decided to standardize procedures and to examine reproducibilities for the non-invasive diagnosis of muscles affected by repetitive strain injury.
Method
Four different projects were addressed as part of the feasibility research. In one project, both healthy and injured volunteers were recruited and tissue samples extracted from either the trapezius muscles or the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscles.These tissue samples were subjected to extensive analysis to determine if abnormalities existed in the injured workers. In the other three projects, healthy volunteers were recruited and protocols standardized for the non-invasive assessment of ECRB function. One of these projects was aimed at characterizing the mechanical and fatigue properties. A second project measured blood flow via Doppler techniques, while the remaining project used 31P-NMR spectroscopy to assess muscle metabolism.
|
| | |
