being a participant in the PROOF study

In the Netherlands, approximately half of the working population works regularly with a computer. This concerns over 3 million people. Pain in the neck, shoulders, arms and/or hands, referred to as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), are still very common in this group and the size of this group is not decreasing. Previous research has shown that psychosocial work environment and computer use play a role in the development of MSDs. However, through what mechanisms is not known. The purpose of the so-called PROOF study (INTERACTIONS OF BIOMECHANICS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESSORS IN RELATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MSDs IN THE MODERN OFFICE)  is to get better insight in the development of MSDs by exploring the role of psychosocial work environment and computer use. We hope that the results will contribute to the prevention of MSDs in the future. The PROOF study is conducted by Linda Eijckelhof, MSc at the EMGO Institute for Health and Care research. The study is a collaboration with the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, and is supervised by Professor Allard van der Beek here at EMGO+.

In this study, 120 office workers will be categorized in one of four defined profiles of psychosocial work environment, based on the amount of “reward” one receives at work and their reported level of “overcommitment” (both collected through a questionnaire). Biomechanical exposures (i.e. forces on keyboard and mouse, postural dynamics, and EMG of neck-shoulder muscles and wrist extensors) and computer usage will be measured for two hours during a workday at participants’ own work stations. These biomechanical factors will be compared across the four psychosocial profiles.


With these data a task-based exposure model will be developed to estimate the biomechanical exposures within different psychosocial work environments adjusted for individual factors. This model will be applied to a cohort of about 1000 office workers, of whom computer usage was assessed objectively and health outcome was self-reported in a two-year longitudinal study (PROMO). In this way, we will be able to relate biomechanical exposure to the development of MSDs measured in a large epidemiological study.
Yesterday I participated as one of the research subjects. Being researched instead of being a researcher for a change...