Grace P Y Szeto

Grace P Y Szeto
Tung Wah College · School of Medical & Health Sciences

PhD

About

89
Publications
54,711
Reads
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4,033
Citations
Introduction
My area of research involves Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Ergonomics, Biomechanics, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Work rehabilitation. Current research projects include: 1. study of touchscreen devices and MSD 2. Interventions for neck pain -combining ergonomics and motor control training.
Additional affiliations
January 2018 - present
Tung Wah College
Position
  • Professor (Full)
Description
  • I have joined the Tung Wah College since Jan 2018, to take on the position of Professor and Physiotherapy Programme Leader. My current email address: graceszeto@twc.edu.hk
Education
January 1996 - July 2003
Curtin University
Field of study
  • Physiotherapy

Publications

Publications (89)
Article
Full-text available
Prolonged electronic screen use can cause digital eye strain. It can be difficult to rectify due to increasing smartphone reliance, potentially leading to serious public health problems. To investigate the association between time spent on smartphones and digital eye strain (DES) among Hong Kong Chinese school-aged children. Of a total of 1,508 stu...
Article
Full-text available
Purpose We analyzed the association between bedtime smart device usage habits and accelerometer-measured sleep outcomes (total sleeping time, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset) in Hong Kong children and adolescents aged 8–14. Methods A total of 467 students in Hong Kong participated in this study from 2016 to 2017. They self-reported th...
Article
Background Impaired cervical kinematics particularly the movement velocity had been consistently found in people with neck pain. The recovery and potential of cervical movement velocity in assisting the prediction of recovery in individuals with chronic neck pain remained unknown. This study investigated the application of cervical movement velocit...
Chapter
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders represent an increasingly important problem globally and pose a huge economic burden. Nowadays, most occupations involve prolonged sitting and use of visual display units, which has been linked with a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, especially in the neck-shoulder and the low-back. The first part of t...
Article
Full-text available
This study aims to investigate the dysfunction and recovery of the lumbopelvic movement and motor control of people with chronic nonspecific low back pain after a structured rehabilitation which emphasizes on re-education and training of movement and motor control. The lumbopelvic movement and motor control pattern of 30 adults (15 with chronic low...
Article
Full-text available
Objective This study aims to define appropriate domains and items for the development of a self-administered questionnaire to assess the risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) and the risk of its progression to chronicity. Design Literature review and survey study. Setting and participants A literature review and a two-ro...
Article
Full-text available
This study examined the association between smart device usage and the 1-year change in refractive error among a representative sample of Hong Kong children and adolescents aged 8–14 years. A total of 1597 participants (49.9% male, mean age 10.9, SD 2.0) who completed both baseline (2017–2018) and 1-year follow-up (2018–2019) eye examinations were...
Article
This field study compared the real-time spinal movements and postural variations during smartphone-use versus non-use in university students. Ten males and eight females (mean age of 21.5 ± 2.6 years) participated, with similar daily phone use time between the two sexes. Five inertial motion sensors were attached to the cervical, thoracic and lumba...
Article
Nearly all children and teens in Hong Kong own a smartphone. There is currently no validated instrument that measures whether they use their phone too much. This study tested the psychometric properties of a translated Chinese version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) and examined the demographic correlates of smartphone addi...
Article
Full-text available
This study was to examine the kinematics, muscle activities, and perceived physical exertion in different regions of the spine during patient transfers by nursing students between a bed and a wheelchair, with or without a transfer belt in a laboratory setting. Results showed that with the effect of the belt, the % maximum voluntary contraction of t...
Article
Full-text available
Background Work‐related neck and shoulder pain (WRNSP) is highly prevalent among patients who seek physiotherapy treatment. Clinicians may tend to focus on teaching home exercises and provide general advice about workplace improvement. The present study investigates the short‐ and long‐term impact of an intervention approach that emphasizes on inte...
Chapter
Office workers and university students are known to suffer from neck pain as they are frequent users of electronic devices. The present study utilized inertial motion sensors to examine real-time spinal kinematics in office workers and university students for 3 h in their natural working/studying environment. Office workers (10 males, 10 females) a...
Chapter
This study aimed to investigate the spinal muscle activity and postural variations across time in healthy young adults during a prolonged reading comprehension task using a tablet computer. Twenty healthy college students (10 males and 10 females; mean age = 21.5 ± 1.7 years) participated in this study. Subjects were seated on a standard office cha...
Article
Full-text available
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a 4-week community aquatic physiotherapy program with Ai Chi or the Bad Ragaz Ring Method (BRRM) on pain and disability in adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP). METHODS: Adults with CLBP (n = 44; mean ± SD age, 52.6 ± 5.5 y; 37 women) were assigned to either an Ai Chi (n = 23) or BRRM (n = 21) program (...
Conference Paper
Introduction: Chronic neck pain and low back pain are the most prevalent musculoskeletal complaints that affect people all around the world. This study examined how spinal muscle activity is affected by sleeping on a specially designed mattress. Sleep efficiency as well as subjective pain score were also evaluated before and after the mattress tria...
Article
Full-text available
The construction industry around the globe is afflicted with an exorbitant rate of fatal and non-fatal falls. To lower the propensity of the falls, researchers and safety experts have recommended to supplement the traditional passive fall safety measures with some active measures (such as early identification of task/environmental hazards and perso...
Article
Full-text available
Purpose: This study examined the activation patterns of the cervical and thoracic muscles in people with and without chronic neck pain during functional activities and their associations with pain intensity and functional disability. Methods: Thirty-four adults with chronic neck pain and 34 asymptomatic adults were recruited. They were requested...
Conference Paper
Introduction Over the last few years, the use of smart devices, including smartphone and tablets, has been increasing rapidly. Several studies showed that excessive use of smart device among children and adolescents may affect sleep quality. However, most existing studies relied on self-report sleep quality with questionable validity. Here, we exam...
Article
Introduction Over the last few years, the use of smart devices, including smartphone and tablets, has been increasing rapidly. Several studies showed that excessive use of smart device among children and adolescents may affect sleep quality. However, most existing studies relied on self-report sleep quality with questionable validity. Here, we exam...
Article
Full-text available
The Workstyle Short Form (24 items) (WSF-24) has been tested for its psychometric properties on work-related upper-extremity musculoskeletal symptoms (WRUEMSs) among office workers. However, the impact of workstyle should not only be limited to WRUEMSs and the sedentary workforce. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of...
Article
To advance our understanding about the association between smartphone use and chronic neck-shoulder pain, the objective of this study was to compare spinal kinematics between different text-entry methods in smartphone users with and without chronic neck-shoulder pain. Symptomatic (n = 19) and healthy participants (n = 18) were recruited and they pe...
Article
Full-text available
PurposeThis study compared the effects of “Ergomotor” intervention and conventional physiotherapy, on influencing the motor control in the neck–shoulder region in people with work-related neck–shoulder pain (WRNSP). Methods101 patients (age range 20–54 years) diagnosed with chronic WRNSP were randomized into control (CO) group (n = 50) and Ergomoto...
Article
Full-text available
The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WRMSs) in different body parts for nursing assistants (NAs) working in nursing homes is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of WRMSs in nursing assistants and the factors associated with them. Four hundred and forty NAs from 52 nursing homes, recruited by conv...
Article
Full-text available
Purpose: Although individual studies have reported high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) among construction workers, no systematic review has summarized their prevalence rates. Accordingly, this systematic review/meta-analysis aimed to synthesize MSS prevalence in different construction trades, gender and age groups, which may help dev...
Article
Full-text available
This study aimed to examine the relationship between cumulative use of electronic devices and musculoskeletal symptoms. Smartphones and tablet computers are very popular and people may own or operate several devices at the same time. High prevalence rates of musculoskeletal symptoms associated with intensive computer use have been reported. However...
Article
Full-text available
Fall accidents (FAs) constitute a substantial proportion of construction accidents. While the predominant prevention strategy relies on passive approaches (e.g. guardrails), research on proactive measures is lacking, which may reduce the incidence of FAs in high-risk construction trades. Literature suggests that rebar work is one of the foremost FA...
Article
Full-text available
The construction industry around the globe is facing a massive predicament of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), largely attributed to the excessive physical exertion at worksites. Whereas ergonomic interventions are suggested to be an effective approach to mitigate such routine exertion, these ergonomic interventions should be task spe...
Article
Little is known about how nursing assistants (NAs) perceive the nature of their work and how their work contributes to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This qualitative study addressed these gaps. Twenty-four NAs with WMSDs working in four nursing homes participated in semistructured focus group interviews. Their WMSDs were not limit...
Article
Full-text available
Background: Impaired lumbo-pelvic movement in people with low back pain during bending task has been reported previously. However, the regional mobility and the pattern of the lumbo-pelvic movement were found to vary across studies. The inconsistency of the findings may partly be related to variations in the speed at which the task was executed. T...
Article
Full-text available
When a worker is injured at work, he has to face a tough decision-making process about when and how to return to work (RTW). This study tests how the prospect theory can be applied to influence the injured workers’ perceptions about this important choice. One hundred forty-one injured workers were presented with wage- and pain-related information i...
Article
This systematic review aimed at evaluating the prevalence and risk factors for musculoskeletal complaints associated with mobile handheld device use. Pubmed, Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL and Embase were searched. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed. Strength of evidence for risk factors was determined based on study desig...
Poster
Full-text available
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is one of the most prevalent occupational health problems among construction workers. Given the high physical work demand, long working hours, and unfavorable work environment, construction workers are constantly exposed to multiple ergonomic risk factors. Consequently, work-related MSDs are the main cause of non-fa...
Article
Full-text available
High prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among construction workers pose challenges to the productivity and occupational health of the construction industry. To mitigate the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, construction managers need to deepen their understanding of the physical and biomechanical demands of various construction tasks so that...
Article
Objective: To investigate the effects neck-shoulder pain on the connectivity of surface electromyography (SEMG) signals during functional tasks. Methods: Twenty adults suffering from chronic neck-shoulder pain and 20 healthy controls were recruited. The SEMG signals from the left and right proximal cervical erector spinae, upper trapezius, lower...
Article
Full-text available
Background: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the Multi-disciplinary Orthopaedics Rehabilitation Empowerment (MORE) Program on reducing chronic disability among injured workers and improving efficiency of work rehabilitation process. Methods: A cohort of patients with workplace injuries in the lower back were recruited fr...
Article
Unlabelled: This study aimed to examine differences in muscle activity between young people with and without neck-shoulder pain (n = 20 in each group), when they performed texting on a smartphone. Texting was compared between using both hands ('bilateral texting') and with only one hand ('unilateral texting'). Texting tasks were also compared with...
Article
Full-text available
Objectives Studies from western countries show that dentists are vulnerable to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) of the neck and upper extremities, but little is known about their epidemiology among members of this rapidly growing profession in China. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of WMSDs and identify potential risk fa...
Article
Full-text available
Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) are recognized as a major source of significant pain and disability in the healthcare sector. However, they are preventable if appropriate surveillance and intervention programs are implemented. Objective: The purpose of this paper is to describe the holistic ergonomic approach that was...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction: Workstyle as it is related to symptoms of musculoskeletal symptoms of the upper limbs is the behavioural, cognitive and physical responses that occur in individuals to increases in work demands. A self report measure of this construct was developed that was both associated with and predictive of work related upper extremity symptoms....
Article
Full-text available
All around the world, there is a rising trend of computer use among young children especially at home; yet the computer furniture is usually not designed specifically for children's use. In Hong Kong, this creates an even greater problem as most people live in very small apartments in high-rise building. Most of the past research literature is focu...
Article
Full-text available
The movement coordination between the cervical and thoracic spine was examined in 34 asymptomatic participants (24 female and 10 male). Three-dimensional electromagnetic motion sensors were attached to the skin overlying the head, T1, T6, and T12 spinous processes to measure the angular displacement of the cervical, upper thoracic, and lower thorac...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction: Early screening of physical and psychosocial risk factors has been advocated as a way to identify low back pain (LBP) patients who may develop chronic disability. This study evaluated the predictive validity of a Chinese version of the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire (OMPQ) in identifying LBP patients at risk of developing...
Article
Introduction: Community nurses are exposed to high physical demands at work resulting in musculoskeletal disorders. The present study examined the short- and long-term benefits of a multifaceted intervention program designed especially for community nurses in Hong Kong. Methods: Fifty community nurses working in 4 local hospitals participated in...
Article
Full-text available
This study compared the muscular activity in the surgeon’s neck and upper limbs during robotic-assisted laparoscopic (R-Lap) surgery and conventional laparoscopic (C-Lap) surgery. Two surgeons performed the same procedure of R-Lap and C-Lap low anterior resection, and real-time surface electromyography was recorded in bilateral cervical erector spi...
Conference Paper
The use of dual screens has become a very common practice in the office setting nowadays but very little research has been published regarding the effects of such a display screen setting. Past research has mainly focused on investigating the effects of viewing a single screen. This paper describes a study that compared the neck-shoulder muscle act...
Article
Purpose Office workers commonly suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders associated with intensive computer use, and both the physical and mental workload are important risk factors. This study used a typing task to investigate how externally induced stress modulated heart rate variability and muscle activation. The results would provide...
Article
Purpose Office workers commonly suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders associated with intensive computer use, and both the physical and mental workload are important risk factors. This study used a typing task to investigate how externally induced stress modulated heart rate variability and muscle activation. The results would inform t...
Article
There is increasing concern about the surgeon maintaining a static posture during laparoscopic surgery, which can contribute to musculoskeletal disorders. A series of studies are being conducted in Hong Kong examining the surgeons' real-time movements and electromyography in the operating theater during different operations. The present paper exami...
Article
To compare the effects of biofeedback with those of active exercise and passive treatment in treating work-related neck and shoulder pain. A randomized controlled trial with 3 intervention groups and a control group. Participants were recruited from outpatient physiotherapy clinics and a local hospital. All participants reported consistent neck and...
Article
Full-text available
This is a discussion paper to examine the issues surrounding management of work-related injuries by physiotherapists and occupational therapists in Hong Kong. Therapists working in public hospitals are faced with managing injured workers with limited resources and this frequently results in suboptimal outcomes. In this paper, five experienced thera...
Article
Full-text available
This paper reviews the development of occupational rehabilitation in Hong Kong, both in terms of the science as well as the service for injured workers. Besides, it also reviews the existing Employees' Compensation Ordinance for work injury to illustrate how the policy could influence the success and development of the discipline. Five experienced...
Article
Full-text available
The present study examined the effects of physical and mental workload during computer tasks on muscle activity and physiological measures. Activity in cervical postural muscles and distal forearm muscles, heart rate and blood pressure were compared among three tasks and rest periods of 15 min each in an experimental study design. Fourteen healthy...
Article
The present study examined various biomechanical parameters in symptomatic and asymptomatic computer users during mouse-clicking tasks with different speed and precision demands. Surface electromyography (EMG) of right wrist flexors and extensors were compared between individuals with computer-related wrist/hand symptoms (n=9) and pain-free control...
Article
Full-text available
Asia is the new and favored magnet of economic attention and foreign investments after it made an almost uneventful rebound from the depths of financial crisis of 2008/2009. Not many Western observers fully understand the diversity that is Asia other than perhaps its 2 growing economic giants of China and India. Indeed many smaller countries like S...
Article
Full-text available
Different surgical procedures impose different physical demands on surgeons and high prevalence rates of neck and shoulder pain have been reported among general surgeons. Past research has examined electromyography in surgeons mainly during simulated conditions of laparoscopic and open surgery but not during real-time operations and not for long du...
Article
This paper is a report of a pilot study conducted to investigate the effect of a tailor-made ergonomic intervention programme for community nurses. The nursing profession is known to be a high risk group for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Community nurses are at risk as they have to travel to patients' homes and work in varied environments...
Article
Do symptomatic female office workers perform computing tasks with higher cervical postural muscle loads (in terms of higher amplitudes and less muscular rest) and more discomfort compared with asymptomatic individuals? Are these differences in postural muscle loads consistent across bilateral (typing) and unilateral (mousing) conditions? an experim...
Article
Full-text available
Surgeons are a unique group of healthcare professionals who are at risk for developing work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMS). The diversity of operating skills for laparoscopic and endovascular procedures impose different physical demands on surgeons, who also work under time pressure. The present study aims to examine the physical and psycho...
Article
Full-text available
Past studies on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) have reported increased median muscle activities in terms of 50th% of amplitude probability distribution function (APDF), and this was thought to be a manifestation of altered motor control--an important mechanism contributing to WMSD. The present study aimed to examine whether such alte...
Article
Full-text available
Past research on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) has frequently examined the activity of neck-shoulder muscles such as upper trapezius (UT) and cervical erector spinae (CES) during typing tasks. Increased electromyographic activity in these postural stabilising muscles has been consistently found in chronic neck pain patients under di...
Article
Intensive computer use is associated with increased risk for musculoskeletal disorders. Past research concerning the position of the display screen has mainly focused on its vertical position and optimal height. A problem often neglected is the positioning of the screen at an angle to the user due to limited desk space. The present study aimed to i...
Article
Full-text available
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) affect workers in many occupations including drivers of large vehicles. Urban bus drivers have been found to have high prevalence rates of back problems in overseas studies. Hong Kong is a densely populated city and has a large number of double-deck buses that constitute a major means of public transpor...
Article
The problem of work-related neck and upper limb disorders among computer users has been reported extensively in the literature, and commonly cited risk factors include static posture, speed and force of keyboard operation. The present study examined changes in median frequency (MF) of the neck-shoulder muscles in symptomatic and asymptomatic office...
Article
Work-related neck and upper limb disorders (WRNULD) are common problems among office workers who use computers intensively and maintain prolonged static postures. These disorders have often been attributed to result from sustained muscle activity in the neck-shoulder musculature. The present study examined whether symptomatic subjects exhibited the...
Article
Full-text available
Prolonged static posture has been identified as a major risk factor for work-related neck and upper limb disorders (WRNULD) in computer users. Previous research has mainly examined working postures in healthy pain-free individuals. The present study examined whether symptomatic subjects exhibited the same kinematic patterns as asymptomatic controls...