A biomechanical assessment of early and late sign language learners: impact on work style and musculoskeletal disorder risk
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Detalles
American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are a vital resource both for people who are deaf and people who are hearing. Interpreters face a combination of high cognitive and high physical demands while interpreting, placing them at an increased risk for upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders and burnout. Research has shown that individual differences exist in signing style, causing some interpreters to have a less physically demanding signing style than others. Anecdotal evidence suggests that interpreters who start signing at a young age may have a decreased likelihood for developing upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders due to the possible acquisition of a technique that minimizes strain on the body. The objectives of this study were to analyze the impact that learning to sign at a young age has on wrist kinematics while signing, as well as how wrist biomechanics are affected by the type of signing task being completed, casual conversation or formal interpreting.