Trapezius muscle activity, neck and shoulder pain, and subjective experiences during monotonous work in women

The electromyographic (EMG) activity patterns of Is female supermarket empl oyees reporting neck and shoulder pain were compared with those of 6 of the ir female colleagues rt pol-ting no pain when doing cash-register work. It was found that the EMG activity of the trapezius muscle tended to show a la ck of low and high levels among pain subjects, and that the time the trapez ius muscle was at rest was longer in the group reporting Ilo pain. In the n on-dominant side, the muscle rest time was significantly longer (P < 0.05) in the group reporting no pain, and this group also showed a larger EMG act ivity difference between the dominant and non-dominant sides, indicating a less static bilateral muscle activation. Self-reports of negative experienc es (stressed, exhausted and tense) were somewhat higher in the group report ing pain, while positive experiences during work (concentrated, stimulated and happy) appeared to be similar in the two groups of supermarket employee s.