TY - JOUR T1 - Exploring perceived tension as a response to psychosocial work stress JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PY - 2003/4VL - 29 IS - 2 SP - 124 EP - 133 AU - Holte, Kari Anne AU - Vasseljen, Ottar AU - Westgaard, Rolf H M3 - doi: 10.5271/sjweh.714 UR - https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=714 KW - electromyography KW - perceived tension KW - psychosocial factor KW - psychosocial work stress KW - service occupation KW - stress KW - trapezius N2 - '

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OBJECTIVES ': 'This study extends the concept of tension, in part by observing changes in tension during the workday, to identify episodes causing elevated tension and relate them to bodily responses.

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METHODS ': 'Both questionnaires and qualitative interviews were used to describe the tension concept. Tension was scored on a visual analogue scale (VAS) every hour, and trapezius muscle activity and heart rate were recorded. Ninety-four female workers from four service occupations participated.

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RESULTS ': 'Tension was described as a musculoskeletal activation response involving the upper body regions, but also autonomic activation responses were described. The cause of elevated tension comprised a variety of situational demands; however, contact with other people causing negative emotions was a common factor. Averaged muscular activity and heart rate responses did not correlate with prolonged perceived tension, but the differential tension score between high- and low-tension periods correlated with the corresponding differential trapezius activity responses. The regression line indicated no effect of short-term variation in perceived tension on median muscle activity for differential VAS scores of 2 cm or less. An increase of 2% of maximal electromyographic activity for a differential VAS score of 4-5 cm was indicated.

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CONCLUSIONS ': 'This study identifies work exposures that cause tension, and it demonstrates a physiological correlate with the subjective perception of tension in the short term. The low recorded muscle activation response does not represent a risk factor for pain by the traditional standards used for recording and evaluating muscle activity responses, but it may point to underlying pain-inducing mechanisms, such as low-threshold overexertion of motor units.

SN - 0355-3140 ER -