In subgroup analyses , we found an equal effect of different stressor types ( i.e. cognitive/emotional stress , work pace , and precision ) on muscle activity in both body regions .
In conclusion , simulated workplace stressors result in an increase in neck-shoulder and forearm muscle activity .
No indications were found that different types of stressors affect these body regions differently .
Workplace stressors have been indicated to play a role in the development of neck and upper extremity pain possibly through an increase of sustained ( low-level ) muscle activity .
The aim of this review was to study the effects of workplace stressors on muscle activity in the neck-shoulder and forearm muscles .
An additional aim was to find out whether the muscles of the neck-shoulder and the forearm are affected differently by different types of workplace stressors .
Shoulder muscle activity in young and older people during a computer mouse task.
OBJECTIVE Assessment of the age effect in relation to computer work . BACKGROUND Increasingly , more older people are using computers , while hardware and software are not design ed with special consideration of their needs . METHODS Eight young and nine older females performed different computer mouse tasks .  Shoulder muscle activity was recorded from the right deltoid muscle , right and left upper trapezius muscle , and the neck extensor muscles . RESULTS Mean trapezius muscle activity was significantly higher in the older people ( 2.8%/3.7 % EMG(max ) for R/L ) compared to the young ( 1.1%/1.2 % EMG(max ) ) . There was a tendency to a higher activity in the older people for the deltoid muscle and the neck extensor muscles . There were small differences in shoulder muscle activation levels between mouse actions , target directions , and between precision dem and s. CONCLUSIONS Shoulder muscle activity during computer work is affected by age , but only to a minor extent by the type of computer mouse task . The deltoid and the trapezius muscle activities are low during computer mouse use when there is efficient forearm support by the table . Relevance An increasing number of people use computers for hours every day . Intensive use of computers increases the risk of development of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms in the shoulder region
In subgroup analyses , we found an equal effect of different stressor types ( i.e. cognitive/emotional stress , work pace , and precision ) on muscle activity in both body regions .
In conclusion , simulated workplace stressors result in an increase in neck-shoulder and forearm muscle activity .
No indications were found that different types of stressors affect these body regions differently .
Workplace stressors have been indicated to play a role in the development of neck and upper extremity pain possibly through an increase of sustained ( low-level ) muscle activity .
The aim of this review was to study the effects of workplace stressors on muscle activity in the neck-shoulder and forearm muscles .
An additional aim was to find out whether the muscles of the neck-shoulder and the forearm are affected differently by different types of workplace stressors .