Quantitative Biomechanical Analysis of Wrist Motion in the Red-Meat Packing Industry

This thesis is motivated by the serious impact that cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) of the upper extremities have on industrial workers and on industry itself. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most widely-publicized CTD of the upper extremities. To date, no quantitative data has been gathered on the kinematics of hand and wrist motion required in bone-trimming jobs in the red-meat packing industry. No information is known about what type and how much wrist motion is currently being used in bone-trimming jobs in the red-meat packing industry, or how much these motions increase the risk of occupational CTDs. The research conducted in this thesis will address this current research void and establish a preliminary database of wrist and hand kinematics in the red-meat packing industry. This kinematic database could augment the red-meat industry\u27s efforts to reduce the severity and cost of CTDs