RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN WHOLEBODY VIBRATION AND MORBIDITY PATTERNS AMONG INTERSTATE TRUCK DRIVERS

The hypotheses that certain physical disorders develop with undue frequency among interstate truck drivers and that some of this excess morbidity is due in part to the whole body vibration factor of their job, have been tested by extracting and comparing morbidity data available for active interstate truck drivers and sedentary comparison groups. Biodynamic strain, microtrauma, and intraluminal/intra-abdominal pressure fluctuations produced by truck vibrations are postulated as being at least partially responsible for the development of certain musculoskeletal, digestive, and circulatory disorders among interstate truck drivers with more than 15 years of service. The combined effects of forced body posture, cargo handling, and improper eating habits along with whole body vibration cannot be ruled out in considering contributory factors for such truck-driver disorders as vertebrogenic pain syndromes, spine deformities, sprains and strains, appendicitis, stomach troubles, and hemorrhoids.

• Corporate Authors:

  Southwest Research Institute

  6220 Culebra Road, P.O. Drawer 28510
  San Antonio, TX  United States  78228-0510

  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

  Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Science
  Cincinnati, OH  United States  45202
• Authors:
  • Gruber, G J
• Publication Date: 1976-11

Media Info

• Pagination: 62 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Biodynamics; Biophysics; Cardiovascular diseases; Diseases and medical conditions; Drivers; Epidemiology; Fatalities; Health; Human factors engineering; Human factors engineering; Medicine; Occupational diseases; Physical condition; Stress (Physiology); Truck drivers; Vibration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Gastrointestinal diseases; Morbidity
• Old TRIS Terms: Body; Industrial medicine; Musculoskeletal disorders
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00175098
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: DHEW-PUB-NIOSH77-167Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: PHS-CDC-99-74-22
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 26 1978 12:00AM