Effects of Handle Angle and Work Orientation on Hammering: II. Muscle Fatigue and Subjective Ratings of Body Discomfort

Abstract

This research investigated how changes in hammer handle angle and hammering orientation affected muscle fatigue in the forearm and subjective ratings of body discomfort. Forearm muscle fatigue and discomfort ratings were not significantly affected by handle angle, but they were significantly higher in the wall hammering orientation than in the bench orientation. The research in this article and in the companion article (Part I) reveal that for novices, hammers with handles angled in the range of 20-40 deg are advantageous because (1) they reduce ulnar deviation and may possibly decrease the incidence of hand/wrist disorders, and (2) they do not significantly affect hammering performance in the bench conditions, forearm muscle fatigue, or subjective ratings of body discomfort.