Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee: Pirogov University.
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Ergonomic workplace factors as indicators of occupational risk for cosmetologists

Latyshevskaya NI, Krainova IYu, Shestopalova EL, Belyaeva AV, Malyakina AA, Levchenko NV
About authors

Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia

Correspondence should be addressed: Natalia V. Levchenko
R. Sorge, 38-56, Volgograd, 400064, Russia; ur.liam@v_n_avonrehc

About paper

Author contribution: Latyshevskaya NI, Krainova IYu — study design, analysis of the data obtained; Latyshevskaya NI, Malyakina AA, Belyaeva AV — manuscript authoring; Shestopalova EL, Krainova IYu — review of thematic publications; Shestopalova EL, Levchenko NV — collection of the data for the analysis.

Compliance with ethical standards: the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Volgograd State Medical University (Minutes No. 005 of February 7, 2025). All participants submitted signed forms confirming their informed consent to participate in the study.

Received: 2025-02-13 Accepted: 2025-04-22 Published online: 2025-09-26
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Currently, cosmetology is one of the fastest growing branches of medicine. Some of the factors contributing to the occupational hazards of cosmetology include static loads, repetitive small-scale hand and wrist movements, and prolonged sitting in uncomfortable positions. This study aimed to assess the ergonomics of the working posture of cosmetologists and the related risk of musculoskeletal disorders. We examined doctors' complaints about having to remain in an uncomfortable, rigid working posture for long periods. The variations in posture were assessed photogoniometrically, and the results were used to construct the distribution diagrams for "sitting" and "standing." The participants' shoulders were examined using the Artro-Pro hardware and software complex (digital goniometry). It was found that a cosmetologist stays in an uncomfortable and/or fixed position for about 85% of the working time, which puts the occupation into hardness class 3.2. Cosmetologists most often complain about pain in the neck (60.0–85.4%), back (33.1–82.1%), and shoulders (62.6–80.2%). Digital goniometry has shown that in the sitting position, almost all goniometric indicators deviate from the recommended values. For the standing position, the greatest deviations were established for neck, trunk, and elbow, especially among older specialists (p ≤ 0.05). Thus, an aggravating factor related to the working posture of cosmetologists is the lack of an ergonomically adequate seat, which poses a significant occupational risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders.

Keywords: cosmetologists, digital goniometry, uncomfortable working position, ergonomics, musculoskeletal system

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