The Response of the Shoulder Complex to Repetitive Work: Implications for Workplace Design

The shoulder complex has multiple degrees of freedom and muscular geometry that make it possible to complete tasks with many different kinematic and muscular strategies. Substantial research has investigated the effects of workplace factors (posture and task design) on the shoulder complex. The interactive relationships between workplace factors, however, make it challenging to synthesize the literature to make decisive conclusions regarding the impact of repetitive work. This review summarizes a broad selection of the literature examining the effects of repetitive work on the shoulder complex with respect to kinematic and muscular adaptation strategies to maintain task performance with muscular fatigue. The implications of repetitive work and workplace design on the shoulder complex are discussed.