Research Article

Physiological Evaluation of Childcare-Associated Muscle Load on the Neck and Shoulder Region in Japanese Women

Table 1

Characteristics of participants.

ParticipantsSubjective symptoms (position number)
Before MLAfter 1st MLAfter 2nd MLAfter 3rd MLConvalescence

A (SS)NoneTension (5)Pain (4, 5, 6)Pressure (4, 5, 6)Tension (4, 5, 6)
B (SS)Tension (all areas)Pressure (6)Pressure (6)Tension (5, 6)Tension (all areas)
C (SS)Pressure (4, 5, 6)Pressure (4, 5, 6)Stiffness (4, 5, 6)Stiffness (4, 5, 6)Stiffness (4, 5, 6)
D (SS)NoneTension (1, 2, 3)Tension (1, 2, 3)Pressure (2, 3, 6)None
E (SS)Stiffness (1, 2, 4, 5)Stiffness (4, 6)Pain (4, 5, 6)Pressure (4, 5, 6)Stiffness (4)
F (SS)Pressure (1, 2, 4, 5)Pressure (1, 2, 4, 5)Pressure (1, 2, 4, 5)Pressure (2, 5, 6)Pressure (4, 5)
G (SS)Stiffness (5)Stiffness (5)Tension (4, 5)Tension (4, 5)Tension (5)
H (SS)NonePressure (4, 6)Pressure (1, 2, 3, 4, 6)Pressure (1, 2, 3, 4, 6)Tension (1, 2, 3)
I (NSS)NoneNoneNoneNoneNone
J (NSS)NoneStiffness (2, 3)Stiffness (2, 3, 5)Stiffness (2, 3, 5)Stiffness (2, 3)
K (NSS)NoneNoneNoneNoneNone
L (NSS)NoneStiffness (5, 6)Pain (2, 3, 5, 6)Pain (5)Stiffness (5, 6)
M (NSS)NonePressure (4, 5)Pressure (4, 5)Pressure (1, 2, 3, 5)None
N (NSS)NoneNoneNoneNoneNone
O (NSS)NoneNoneTension (5)NoneNone

SS: shoulder stiffness, NSS: no shoulder stiffness, and ML: movement load.