Age and gender differences in the perception and use of soft vs. rigid exoskeletons for manual material handling.

We investigated age and gender differences in the perception and use of soft (Apex) vs. rigid (Paexo Back) passive back-support exoskeletons (BSE) for repetitive lifting and lowering. A gender-balanced sample of 20 young (18-30 years) and 16 old (45-60 years) individuals were recruited. In the first session, participants' self-reported maximum acceptable load (MAL) was assessed using a psychophysical approach. Changes in muscle activity and kinematics due to BSE use in repetitive lifting/lowering tasks were also assessed. Overall, both BSEs increased MAL (by ∼7%), and reduced trunk extensor muscle activity across all groups (by ∼7-18%), compared to the control condition. Both BSEs promoted more squatting postures, increased quadriceps muscle activity (by ∼34%) and abdominal muscle activity during asymmetric tasks (by 5-20%). Some age and gender differences were significant, particularly for the trunk kinematics when using the Apex. Future work should include more diverse user groups in studying willingness to adopt BSEs and characterising their consequent effects on the body.

Manual material handling is difficult to eliminate in several industries. There are now viable rigid and soft exosuit systems that can offer varying levels of support. We found both kinds of exoskeletons to be equally effective in reducing trunk extensor muscle activity, among young and old males and females.

The compatibility of exoskeletons in perioperative environments and workflows: an analysis of surgical team members' perspectives and workflow simulation.

Surgical team members in perioperative environments experience high physical demands. Interventions such as exoskeletons, external wearable devices that support users, have the potential to reduce these work-related physical demands. However, barriers such as workplace environment and task compatibility may limit exoskeleton implementation. This study gathered the perspectives of 33 surgical team members: 12 surgeons, four surgical residents, seven operating room (OR) nurses, seven surgical technicians (STs), two central processing technicians (CPTs), and one infection control nurse to understand their workplace compatibility. Team members were introduced to passive exoskeletons via demonstrations, after which surgical staff (OR nurses, STs, and CPTs) were led through a simulated workflow walkthrough where they completed tasks representative of their workday. Five themes emerged from the interviews (workflow, user needs, hindrances, motivation for intervention, and acceptance) with unique subthemes for each population. Overall, exoskeletons were largely compatible with the duties and workflow of surgical team members.

The goal of this study was to identify exoskeleton compatibility across various surgical team members through a thematic analysis of interviews and a simulated workflow walkthrough. Results revealed five unique themes (workflow, user needs, hinderances, motivation for intervention, acceptance) and that exoskeletons were largely compatible with daily duties.

Do Sit-Stand Tables Affect Physical Behavior and Body Composition Similarly in Normal-Weight and Overweight Office Workers? A Pilot Study.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSSedentary behavior is a significant health concern among office workers. We completed the same 6-month sit-stand table intervention at work for groups of normal-weight and overweight workers, and compared it to not having sit-stand tables. The intervention caused the intended decrease in sitting time in both groups and a corresponding increase in standing. We did not find compensation effects on physical behavior outside of work. Furthermore, the intervention did not change the composition of fat, lean, and bone mass in either group. Thus, strategies including initiatives to increase physical activity are likely needed to have effects on body composition; and an intervention needs to be sustained for longer than six months for any changes in body composition to be observed.

Background: A sit-stand table (SST) at work may help office workers shorten and break up sitting by periods of standing. However, it is not clear whether SST use influences sitting at and outside work to similar extents among normal-weight and overweight office workers, and whether it can change body composition. Purpose: To investigate if introducing SSTs affects physical behavior and body composition similarly in normal-weight and overweight office workers. Methods: In this pilot intervention study, physical behavior and body composition were evaluated and compared between normal-weight (n = 8) and overweight (n = 14) office workers, both before and after using an SST for 6 months. Time spent sitting, standing, and moving was recorded using a triaxial thigh accelerometer during work and leisure. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine fat, lean, and bone mass. Physical behavior and body composition data were both processed using compositional data analysis. Results: The intervention was similarly effective for normal weight and overweight workers in changing physical behavior during work, mainly by reducing sitting time and increasing standing time, while no effects were seen during leisure. We found no effect of the intervention on body composition. Conclusion: A sit-stand table intervention for 6 months changed physical behaviors at work to a similar extent among normal weight and overweight office workers. No compensatory behaviors were observed during leisure, and the intervention had no significant effects on body composition.

Brazilian version of need for recovery scale: Assessment of structural validity, criterion validity, and internal consistency.

BACKGROUND: The Need For Recovery scale (NFR) is a tool that allows early identification of work-related health risks. However, the structure of the Brazilian version of NFR scale (Br-NFR) which contains 11 items has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the structural validity, criterion validity, and internal consistency of the Br-NFR scale in workers. METHODS: 672 workers were included in this study. A split-half validation method was applied to the sample to create a development and validation sample. The structure of the Br-NFR was examined through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) using the development sample. The validation sample was used to evaluate the structure with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). For the latter, several goodness-of-fit indices were considered to evaluate the model fit of the structures tested in this study. Criterion validity was assessed between the Brazilian structure and structures found in the literature compared with the original scale through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1). The internal consistency of the Br-NFR was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Both analyses used the validation sample. RESULTS: The EFA showed that the scale has a one-factor structure and the CFA demonstrated that the Br-NFR structure with 7 items presented excellent to acceptable goodness-of-fit indices. Excellent values of ICC were found between the structures tested in the study and the original 11-item structure of the NFR. The Br-NFR scale presented good internal consistency. CONCLUSION: The Br-NFR is unidimensional. The final 7-item version presented to be equivalent to the original 11-item scale and also has good internal consistency.

Sedentary behaviour, physical activity, and sleep among office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparison of Brazil and Sweden.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the physical behaviours of office workers worldwide, but studies comparing physical behaviours between countries with similar restrictions policies are rare. This study aimed to document and compare the 24-hour time-use compositions of physical behaviours among Brazilian and Swedish office workers on working and non-working days during the pandemic. METHODS: Physical behaviours were monitored over 7 days using thigh-worn accelerometers in 73 Brazilian and 202 Swedish workers. Daily time-use compositions were exhaustively described in terms of sedentary behaviour (SED) in short (< 30 min) and long (≥30 min) bouts, light physical activity (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and time-in-bed. We examined differences between countries using MANOVA on data processed according to compositional data analysis. As Swedish workers had the possibility to do hybrid work, we conducted a set of sensitivity analyses including only data from days when Swedish workers worked from home. RESULTS: During working days, Brazilian office workers spent more time SED in short (294 min) and long (478 min) bouts and less time in LPA (156 min) and MVPA (50 min) than Swedish workers (274, 367, 256 and 85 min, respectively). Time spent in bed was similar in both groups. Similar differences between Brazilians and Swedes were observed on non-working days, while workers were, in general, less sedentary, more active and spent more time-in-bed than during working days. The MANOVA showed that Brazilians and Swedes differed significantly in behaviours during working (p <  0.001, ηp2 = 0.36) and non-working days (p <  0.001, ηp2 = 0.20). Brazilian workers spent significantly more time in SED relative to being active, less time in short relative to long bouts in SED, and more time in LPA relative to MVPA, both during workdays and non-workdays. Sensitivity analyses only on data from days when participants worked from home showed similar results. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic Brazilian office workers were more sedentary and less active than Swedish workers, both during working and non-working days. Whether this relates to the perception or interpretation of restrictions being different or to differences present even before the pandemic is not clear, and we encourage further research to resolve this important issue.

Effects on variation in shoulder, forearm and low back muscle activity from combining seated computer work with other productive office tasks: results from a simulation study.

The effect on muscle activity variation of combining different office tasks is not known. We recorded electromyography from the upper trapezius (UT), wrist extensor (WE) and lumbar erector spinae (LES) in 24 office workers during five productive tasks, and breaks. Minute-to-minute variance was then estimated, by simulations, in a reference 'job' consisting of 85% sitting computer work and 15% breaks, and in 'jobs' where sitting computer work was replaced by different proportions of the other office tasks and breaks. Replacing sitting computer work with sitting non-computer work increased estimated variance by, in median, 23% (UT), 19% (WE) and 0% (LES). Replacing it with other tasks, in particular, standing computer and non-computer work, was less effective in increasing variance. Thus, some combinations of office tasks have a slight potential to increase muscle activity variation in the shoulder and lower arm, but not the lumbar back, while others will be ineffective. Practitioner summary: The need for exposure variation is often emphasised in office ergonomics. We estimated the effect on muscle activity in the shoulder, forearm and lumbar back of combining sitting computer work with other available tasks and breaks, finding that introduction of sitting non-computer tasks and non-desk work slightly increased variation; other tasks were essentially non-effective.

Physical Behaviours in Brazilian Office Workers Working from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Compared to before the Pandemic: A Compositional Data Analysis.

Work from home has increased greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and concerns have been raised that this would change physical behaviours. In the present study, 11 Brazilian office workers (five women, six men; mean [SD] age 39.3 [9.6] years) wore two triaxial accelerometers fixed on the upper back and right thigh continuously for five days, including a weekend, before COVID-19 (September 2019), and again while working at home during COVID-19 (July 2020). We determined time used in five behaviours: sedentary, standing, light physical activity (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA), and time-in-bed. Data on these behaviours were processed using Compositional Data Analysis, and behaviours observed pre-COVID19 and during-COVID19 were compared using repeated-measures MANOVA. On workdays during-COVID19, participants spent 667 min sedentary, 176 standing, 74 LPA, 51 MVPA and 472 time-in-bed; corresponding numbers pre-COVID were 689, 180, 81, 72 and 418 min. Tests confirmed that less time was spent in bed pre-COVID19 (log-ratio -0.12 [95% CI -0.19; -0.08]) and more time in MVPA (log-ratio 0.35, [95% CI 0.08; 0.70]). Behaviours during the weekend changed only marginally. While small, this study is the first to report objectively measured physical behaviours during workdays as well as weekends in the same subjects before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cardiac autonomic responses to different tasks in office workers with access to a sit-stand table - a study in real work setting.

The aim of this study was to characterise the cardiac autonomic modulation of different office tasks performed by office workers with access to a sit-stand table. Heart rate variability (HRV) of 24 office workers was measured for two hours during three days in the last week of sit-stand table use. HRV indexes and the percentage of heart rate reserve (%HRR) were calculated during computer and non-computer work tasks while sitting or standing, non-computer tasks away from the work desk, and informal work breaks. All cardiac autonomic responses demonstrated a statistically significant interaction effect between the tasks (all p < 0.05) except for the logarithmically-transformed high frequency power (ln HF ms2; p = 0.14). Tasks performed while standing and away from the desk had higher sympathetic modulation; in addition, the observed higher %HRR demonstrated that these tasks were more physically demanding in comparison to other tasks. Practitioner Summary: Prior reports indicated benefits based on alternated body postures using sit-stand table. Nevertheless, the cardiac autonomic responses of different tasks performed by office workers are unknown. This cross-sectional study showed that different tasks stimulate the cardiac autonomic nervous system in different ways, which could bring positive effects to the cardiovascular system.

Effects of Time in Sitting and Standing on Pleasantness, Acceptability, Fatigue, and Pain When Using a Sit-Stand Desk: An Experiment on Overweight and Normal-Weight Subjects.

BACKGROUND: Sit-stand desks have been suggested as an initiative to increase posture variation among office workers. However, there is limited evidence of what would be preferable combinations of time sitting and standing. The aim of this study was to determine and compare perceived pleasantness, acceptability, pain, and fatigue for 5 time patterns of sitting and standing at a sit-stand desk. METHODS: Thirty postgraduate students were equally divided into a normal-weight (mean body mass index 22.8 kg/m2) and an overweight/obese (mean body mass index 28.1 kg/m2) group. They performed 3 hours of computer work at a sit-stand desk on 5 different days, each day with a different time pattern (A: 60-min sit/0-min stand; B: 50/10; C: 40/20; D: 30/30; E: 20/40). Pleasantness, acceptability, pain, and fatigue ratings were obtained at the beginning and at the end of the 3-hour period. RESULTS: High ratings of pleasantness were observed for time patterns B, C, and D in both groups. All participants rated acceptability to be good for time patterns A to D. A minor increase in perceived fatigue and pain was observed in time pattern E. CONCLUSION: For new sit-stand desk users, regardless of body mass index, 10 to 30 minutes of standing per hour appears to be an amenable time pattern.

Variation in upper extremity, neck and trunk postures when performing computer work at a sit-stand station.

Sit-stand tables are introduced in offices to increase variation in gross body posture, but the extent to which upper body posture variation is also affected has not previously been addressed. Neck, trunk, and upper arm postures (means and minute-to-minute variances) were determined during periods of sitting and standing from 24 office workers using sit-stand tables to perform computer work. Posture variability resulting from different temporal compositions of sitting and standing computer work was then predicted for the neck, trunk and upper arm by simulations. Postural variability during computer work could be increased up to three-fold when 20-60% of the work was performed standing (i.e. 40-80% performed sitting), compared to performing computer work only sitting. The exact composition of sit-stand proportions leading to maximum variability, as well as the potential size of the increase in variability, differed considerably between workers. Guidelines for sit-stand table use should note these large inter-individual differences.

Comparison of Sedentary Behaviors in Office Workers Using Sit-Stand Tables With and Without Semiautomated Position Changes.

OBJECTIVE: We compared usage patterns of two different electronically controlled sit-stand tables during a 2-month intervention period among office workers. BACKGROUND: Office workers spend most of their working time sitting, which is likely detrimental to health. Although the introduction of sit-stand tables has been suggested as an effective intervention to decrease sitting time, limited evidence is available on usage patterns of sit-stand tables and whether patterns are influenced by table configuration. METHOD: Twelve workers were provided with standard sit-stand tables (nonautomated table group) and 12 with semiautomated sit-stand tables programmed to change table position according to a preset pattern, if the user agreed to the system-generated prompt (semiautomated table group). Table position was monitored continuously for 2 months after introducing the tables, as a proxy for sit-stand behavior. RESULTS: On average, the table was in a "sit" position for 85% of the workday in both groups; this percentage did not change significantly during the 2-month period. Switches in table position from sit to stand were, however, more frequent in the semiautomated table group than in the nonautomated table group (0.65 vs. 0.29 hr-1; p = .001). CONCLUSION: Introducing a semiautomated sit-stand table appeared to be an attractive alternative to a standard sit-stand table, because it led to more posture variation. APPLICATION: A semiautomated sit-stand table may effectively contribute to making postures more variable among office workers and thus aid in alleviating negative health effects of extensive sitting.

Can experience modulate handler responses to boxes designed to decrease musculoskeletal load?

Biomechanical load during the handling of commercial (cardboard box with and without cut out) and non-commercial boxes (cardboard box with a retreat on the bottom edges), on experienced compared to inexperienced subjects was evaluated. Thirty-seven inexperienced and 21 experienced workers handled all boxes at shoulder and ground levels. Biomechanical load on upper limb was investigated through posture and electromyography (EMG) recordings. Comfort and effort were assessed immediately after each handling. In general, experienced workers had low range of motion. On the other hand, EMG was similar between both groups, except when non-commercial boxes were handled in non-favourable heights. Comfort was higher when a non-commercial box was handled versus a commercial one, regardless of the group. Both groups had a lower biomechanical load when handling the non-commercial boxes compared to the commercial ones. However, experienced workers did not have the same advantage as inexperienced subjects when handling those new boxes. Practitioner Summary: Box designs favouring intuitive hand coupling and more efficient postures have potential to reduce the risk of upper-limb musculoskeletal disorders in inexperienced subjects. However, ergonomist has to deal with workers on different levels of experience. Results of this study can support the development of effective recommendations for the working context.

The ability of non-computer tasks to increase biomechanical exposure variability in computer-intensive office work.

Postures and muscle activity in the upper body were recorded from 50 academics office workers during 2 hours of normal work, categorised by observation into computer work (CW) and three non-computer (NC) tasks (NC seated work, NC standing/walking work and breaks). NC tasks differed significantly in exposures from CW, with standing/walking NC tasks representing the largest contrasts for most of the exposure variables. For the majority of workers, exposure variability was larger in their present job than in CW alone, as measured by the job variance ratio (JVR), i.e. the ratio between min-min variabilities in the job and in CW. Calculations of JVRs for simulated jobs containing different proportions of CW showed that variability could, indeed, be increased by redistributing available tasks, but that substantial increases could only be achieved by introducing more vigorous tasks in the job, in casu illustrated by cleaning.

Physical and psychosocial indicators among office workers from public sector with and without musculoskeletal symptoms.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD) are the result of the combination of different risk factors. They are very common among computer workers, mainly when neck and upper limbs are considered. Forty-two office workers from a public university participated in this study. They were divided into two groups: Symptomatic Subjects (SS, n=20) and Asymptomatic Subjects (AS, n=22), according to the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Psychosocial indicators were assessed using the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Workplaces were evaluated according to the Ergonomic Workplace Analysis (EWA), proposed by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The NMQ showed higher weekly prevalence of complaints on neck, shoulders and wrist/hands (p=0.00) among SS. The annual prevalence of symptoms on wrist/hands was also higher among SS (p=0.02). The JCQ did not show any difference between groups (p>0.05). Higher proportion of servers with 'high level' of engagement, dedication and absorption, according to UWES, was identified among SS (p<0.01). EWA showed worse scores for 'Work Site', 'Job Content' and 'Repetitiveness of the Work' among SS (p<0.05). Servers are exposed to physical and psychosocial risk factors that can contribute to the development of WRMD. Work conditions need to be change in order to improve musculoskeletal health.

Musculoskeletal disorders and psychosocial risk factors among workers of the aircraft maintenance industry.

During the recent decades Brazil has experienced an exponential growth in the aviation sector resulting in an increasing workforce. The aircraft maintenance industry stands out, where the workers have to handle different kind of objects. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychosocial indicators as well as musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders among aircraft maintenance workers. One hundred and one employees were evaluated (32.69 ± 8.25 yr, 79.8 ± 13.4 kg, and 1.75 ± 0.07 m). Musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders were assessed through the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and a standardized physical examination. The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) were applied to evaluate psychosocial indicators. Results of the NMQ indicate the lower back as the most affected body region. On the other hand, the physical examination has shown clinical diagnosis of shoulder disorders. Neck, upper back and ankle/foot were also reported as painful sites. Most of workers have active work-demand profile and high work engagement levels. We suggest that musculoskeletal symptoms may be related to high biomechanical demand of the tasks performed by workers, what must be further investigated.

Toxicidade animal por formaldeídeo e complucad® em ratos wistar: exposição aguda / Animal toxicity caused by formaldehyde and complucad® in wistar rats: acute exposure

Objetivos: Verificar a toxicidade em ratos Wistar expostos ao formaldeídeo a 10% e Complucad®, analisando-se as enzimas hepáticas alaninaaminotransferase e aspartatoaminotransferase, os tecidos pulmonar, renal e hepático, após período de exposição aguda. Métodos. A amostra contou com 24 ratos machos adultos, da linhagem Wistar-Tecpar, divididos aleatoriamente em três grupos com oito animais cada. O Grupo Controle Negativo (G.C), não foi exposto às substâncias. O Grupo Controle Positivo (G.F) foi exposto ao formaldeído a 1.33 ppm e o Grupo Experimental (G.CP) exposto à substância Complucad®. Os animais foram mantidos sob condições normais de temperatura, com fotoperíodo de 12h claro/escuro, alimentados com ração balanceada para roedores e água ad libitum, sendo expostos diariamente (8 horas/dia) às respectivas substâncias. Após o período de exposição os mesmos foram anestesiados para coleta sanguínea, seguida de eutanásia para coleta dos tecidos. Resultados: O teste ANOVA seguido de TUKEY realizado com nível de significância de 5% demonstrou para a enzima alanina diferença (p=0,04) entre o G.F quando comparado ao controle. A enzima aspartato apresentou (p=0,20). A avaliação histológica dos órgãos demonstrou alteração significativa para o tecido hepático sendo (p=0,0001), tecido pulmonar (p=0,0085) e tecido renal (p=0,00), mediante o teste estatístico com Qui-Quadrado. Através da aplicação do teste Kruskall Wallis 5% para as variáveis dos tecidos, observou-se infiltração de células e perda da arquitetura (p<0,03), dilatação alveolar (p=0,01), tumefação celular cortical, congestão vascular cortical e dilatação tubular (p<0,01). Conclusão: Houve grau de toxicidade aos referidos xenobióticos, sendo em maior intensidade no grupo exposto ao formaldeídeo a 10%.

Objectives: Verify the toxicity in Wistar rats exposed to formaldehyde solutions at 10% and Complucad®, analyzing the alaninaaminotransferase/aspartatoaminotransferase hepatic enzymes and the lung, kidney and liver tissues, after a sharp period of exposition. Methods: The 24 Wistar-Tecpar adult male rats, divided randomly into three groups, with eight animals each group. The Negative Control Group (G.C) was not exposed to the substances; the Positive Control Group (G.F) was exposed to formaldehyde at 1.33 ppm, and the Experimental Group (G. CP) was exposed to Complucad®. The animals were kept under room temperature, in a 12 hour light/dark photo period, fed with a balanced diet for rodents and ad libitum water, being daily exposed (8 hours a day) to the respective substances. After a period of exposition, they were anesthetized for blood collection, then the euthanasia for tissue collection. Results: the ANOVA followed by TUKEY performed with a significance level of 5% showed for enzyme alanine (p=0,04) between the G.F compared with the control group. The enzyme aspartate, showed (p=0,20). The organs histological evaluation showed a significant alteration for the liver tissue, being (p=0,0001), lung tissue (p=0,085), and kidney tissue (p=0.00), before treatment with the Qui-Quadrado Test. Applying the test Kruskall Wallis 5% for the variables of the tissues, observed, cell infiltration and loss of architecture (p=0,03), dilated alveolar (p=0,01), cortical cell swelling, cortical vascular congestion and dilatation tubular (p<0,01). Conclusion: There was a degree of toxicity to the referred xenobiotic, being more intense on the group exposed to formaldehyde at 10%.

Lesões em tenistas competitivos / Injuries in competitive tennis players / Lesiones en los tenistas competitivos

Esta pesquisa buscou, como objetivo geral, identificar a incidência de lesões em tenistas competitivos e, como objetivos específicos, relacionar a incidência de lesão dos tenistas com a idade; relacionar a lesão com o tempo de prática do tênis; e identificar o segmento corporal com lesões mais frequentes. Foram entrevistados cinquenta tenistas, com média de idade de 30 anos; média do tempo de prática do tênis de 13,9 anos. Dos atletas entrevistados, 56 por cento relataram lesão nos últimos dois anos decorrente da prática do tênis. Ao relacionar a idade com a incidência de lesão, observou-se uma relação de dependência estatisticamente limítrofe (p = 0,045), e também que 78,6 por cento dos tenistas com menos de 17 anos tiveram incidência de lesão. Os segmentos corporais mais lesionados foram o cotovelo, o ombro e o joelho.

This research aimed to identify the incidence of injuries in competitive tennis players and to relate this incidence to the age; to correlate the injury to the length of practice and to identify the most affected body part. Fifty tennis players have been interviewed, the average age was 30 years old, the average length of practice was 13,9 years; 56 percent of the athletes reported injuries in the last two years resulting from tennis practice. There was a statistically bordering dependence relation when associating the age to the injury incidence (p = 0,045), it has been noticed that 78 percent of the tennis players under 17 years of age had incidence of injury. The most injured body part was the elbow, shoulder and knee.

Esta investigación intentó identificar la incidencia de lesiones en los jugadores de tenis competitivos y como objectivos especificos hacer relaciones entre la incidencia de lesiones y la edad de los jugadores, hacer relaciones entre la edad y el tiempo de la práctica del tenis y identificar el segmento del cuerpo más frecuentemente afectado por estas lesiones. Fueron entrevistados 50 jugadores, la media de edad Fue igual a 30 años, el tiempo medio para la práctica del tenis es igual a 13,9 años; y el 56 por ciento de los atletas informó lesiones en los últimos dos años a partir de la práctica del tenis. Al vincular la edad con la incidencia de lesiones se observó una relación de dependencia estadística límite (p = 0,045), se observó también que el 78,6 por ciento de los tenistas menores de 17 años tuvieron incidencia de lesiones. El segmento del cuerpo más perjudicado Fue el codo, hombro y rodilla.