Bilateral upper limb surface electromyography analysis during single-operator colonoscopy: Implications for ergonomics and occupational health

Table 1 The root mean square values for surface electromyography of both upper limb muscles (μV)

Loop types	MID DELT		LAT. TRICEPS		BICEPS BR		BRACHIORAD		FLEX.CARP.R		ABDUCT.POL		EXT.DIG
	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right
No loop	3.9	3.2	2.5	3.1	13.2	5.1	11.8	12.8	8.8	10.6	25.0	37.1	225.1	44.5
“γ” loop	11.2	21.5	5.1	6.7	39.6	22.9	20.8	24.0	22.2	21.9	40.9	60.5	228.5	74.3
“α” loop	9.9	20.2	4.8	8.0	40.4	27.5	23.6	31.1	24.8	27.0	46.4	82.2	289.1	93.8
Reverse “α” loop	11.1	21.3	4.7	8.0	46.6	23.0	23.8	29.8	24.4	26.1	46.8	70.2	316.3	69.6
“N” loop	10.8	21.0	5.2	8.3	45.2	21.0	25.0	24.9	26.2	18.9	46.3	58.0	347.2	64.8
Complex loop	12.0	26.9	5.5	8.4	48.9	21.6	25.0	29.6	22.4	25.2	47.9	71.5	370.6	76.1

MID DELT: Middle deltoid; LAT. TRICEPS: Lateral head of the triceps; BICEPS BR: Biceps brachii; BRACHIORAD: Brachioradialis; FLEX.CARP.R: Flexor carpi radialis; ABDUCT.POL: Abductor pollicis longus; EXT.DIG: Extensor digitorum.

Table 2 Mean power frequency of surface electromyography of left upper limbs during single person colonoscopy insertion

Loop types	MID DELT			LAT. TRICEPS			BICEPS BR			BRACHIORAD			FLEX.CARP.R			ABDUCT.POL			EXT.DIG
	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%
No loop	0.0	1.2	11.6	0.0	0.9	16.7	0.0	0.9	3.4	0.0	1.0	12.1	0.0	1.3	25.7	0.0	1.0	17.9	0.0	1.2	33.9
“γ” loop	0.0	1.1	15.1	0.0	1.0	19.8	0.0	0.9	27.6	0.0	0.9	65.2	0.0	0.9	10.1	0.0	1.1	15.7	0.0	1.8	8.8
“α” loop	0.0	0.9	49.0	0.0	1.1	23.5	0.0	1.1	0.2	0.0	1.2	41.8	0.0	1.5	33.0	0.0	1.1	2.7	0.0	1.6	1.9
Reverse “α” loop	0.0	1.2	46.8	0.0	0.9	14.2	0.0	1.0	24.6	0.0	1.1	33.5	0.0	1.3	35.7	0.0	1.0	18.0	0.0	1.5	22.4
“N” loop	0.0	1.0	9.0	0.0	1.0	8.9	0.0	1.0	5.6	0.0	1.2	12.7	0.0	0.9	7.3	0.0	1.2	44.5	0.0	1.4	56.2
Complex loop	0.0	1.1	0.6	0.0	1.0	13.2	0.0	1.0	4.0	0.0	1.2	16.1	0.0	1.3	36.1	0.0	1.2	34.4	0.0	1.3	16.2

S: Static condition; I: Dynamic/isometric condition; Diff%: Difference percentage; MID DELT: Middle deltoid; LAT. TRICEPS: Lateral head of the triceps; BICEPS BR: Biceps brachii; BRACHIORAD: Brachioradialis; FLEX.CARP.R: Flexor carpi radialis; ABDUCT.POL: Abductor pollicis longus; EXT.DIG: Extensor digitorum.

Table 3 Mean power frequency of surface electromyography of right upper limbs during single person colonoscopy insertion

Loop types	MID DELT			LAT. TRICEPS			BICEPS BR			BRACHIORAD			FLEX.CARP.R			ABDUCT.POL			EXT.DIG
	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%	S	I	Diff%
No loop	0.0	1.3	15.9	0.0	1.1	2.4	0.0	1.3	29.6	0.0	1.1	16.9	0.0	1.2	12.2	0.0	1.1	11.3	0.0	1.2	22.4
“γ” loop	0.0	1.3	2.6	0.0	0.9	30.4	0.0	1.0	18.8	0.0	0.9	4.0	0.0	1.2	12.5	0.0	1.2	51.2	0.0	1.0	13.4
“α” loop	0.0	1.1	21.3	0.0	1.1	30.8	0.0	1.2	20.9	0.0	1.1	20.5	0.0	1.6	15.9	0.0	1.2	56.5	0.0	1.3	19.6
Reverse “α” loop	0.0	1.5	31.4	0.0	1.2	25.2	0.0	1.4	24.7	0.0	1.3	60.7	0.0	1.5	10.4	0.0	1.3	36.7	0.0	1.5	37.0
“N” loop	0.0	1.7	15.0	0.0	1.2	6.9	0.0	1.4	8.5	0.0	1.0	8.2	0.0	1.4	24.4	0.0	1.1	18.5	0.0	1.1	27.0
Complex loop	0.0	1.2	38.4	0.0	1.2	5.1	-0.0	1.3	6.9	0.0	1.2	23.1	0.0	1.4	26.5	0.0	1.5	2.0	0.0	1.3	31.8

S: Static condition; I: Dynamic/isometric condition; Diff%: Difference percentage; MID DELT: Middle deltoid; LAT. TRICEPS: Lateral head of the triceps; BICEPS BR: Biceps brachii; BRACHIORAD: Brachioradialis; FLEX.CARP.R: Flexor carpi radialis; ABDUCT.POL: Abductor pollicis longus; EXT.DIG: Extensor digitorum.

Table 4 Specificity of complex loop during single person colonoscopy insertion

Loop type	Time (seconds)	MID DELT. R MPF slope (%)	FLEX.CARP.R. L MPF slope (%)	FLEX.CARP.R. R MPF slope (%)	EXT.DIG. L RMS (μV)	EXT.DIG. R MPF slope (%)
No loop	53.6	15.9	25.7	12.2	225.1	22.4
“γ” loop	68.6	2.6	10.1	12.5	228.5	13.4
“α” loop	112.0	21.3	33.0	15.9	289.1	19.6
Reverse “α” loop	81.9	31.4	35.7	10.4	316.3	37.0
“N” loop	80.1	15.0	7.3	24.4	347.2	27.0
Complex loop	87.6	38.4	36.1	26.5	370.6	31.8

MID DELT. R: Right middle deltoid; MPF: Median power frequency; FLEX.CARP.R. L: Left flexor carpi radialis; FLEX.CARP.R. R: Right flexor carpi radialis; EXT.DIG. L: Left extensor digitorum; RMS: Root mean square; EXT.DIG. R: Right extensor digitorum.