Our team is interested in studying the causes, effects, and appropriate responses to work-related disabilities.
In one study, after a one-year recall of The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) Work Module, we sought to determine the responsiveness of the test to the active workers’ ability and productivity. We found that the modified version was responsive to changes in work ability and work productivity for workers with upper extremity symptoms.
We have also studied factors that cause upper extremity symptoms in newly hired workers. We determined that both personal (such as race, gender, and age) and work-related factors (such as participation in tasks that require intense use of the upper extremities) can predict upper extremity disability in the working population.