Women in Agriculture: Your Body Your Tools

Kerri Ebert Kansas AgrAbility Project

K-State Research and Extension

Objectives

How women are involved in agriculture

Physical differences between women and men

Why those differences matter

Types of common injuries to women

Injury prevention strategies

Women in Agriculture

In 2012 Ag Census women farm operators represented 30% of total farm operators

Women principal operators were 14% of all principle operators

While total principal operators decreased between 2007 and 2012 the number of women age 65+ who are principal operators increased by 3%

Number of women who have been on their present farm for 10+ years increased by 6%

Female operated farms tend to be:

Smaller, fewer acres, lower sales

More diversified

Less mechanized

Adoptors of sustainable practices and/or organic producers

Involved in direct sales to consumers

Globally women produce more than half the food grown in the world and 60%-80% of the food in most developing countries

Women in Agriculture

Assumption: Women don’t work in dangerous professions

Women farm; farming is dangerous

Tend to be older than male operators

Tend to perform multiple roles in the family: homemaker, child care, off-farm job, caregiver, and farm tasks

Third shift phenomenon

Stress impacts health

Our Bodies are Significantly Different from Men’s Bodies

40-75% less upper body strength

5-30% less lower body strength

Smaller stature (avg. female is 5” shorter than avg. male)

More fat tissue

Narrower shoulders

Wider hips

Proportionally shorter legs & arms

Smaller grips, grip strength 50-67% that of males

Greater flexibility

Lower center of gravity

Our Bodies are Significantly Different from Men’s Bodies

Menstrual cycles influence our bodies

Ligaments are more stretchy the week prior to period

Ligaments get more stiff at the onset of the period

Water retention may contribute to carpal tunnel symptoms

Knee joint angle is greater due to broader hips

13° in males, 18° in females

Knees under slightly more stress

Stature

Tools and workstations may not be designed for our frames

Strength

May play a role in injury cause or prevention

So…how do injuries happen?

Direct trauma

Acute injuries such as a trip & fall or intense pain when lifting something heavy

Indirect trauma

Chronic injuries such as back pain from milking cows twice a day for 25 years or numbness in your hand from years of using power tools

We will focus on chronic injuries or indirect trauma today.

Chronic Injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries that result over time from a variety of factors

Tool/worksite design

Bodymechanics

Stress

Level of fitness

Prior injury

Chronic, musculoskeletal injuries have several names: RMI, RSI, CTD, WRMD

What happens in chronic injury?

Tissue irritation – muscles, tendons, ligaments, discs

Microtrauma – small tears in tissues

Production of scar tissue; like a blob of super glue

Irritation continues as long as activity continues

Results in: < flexibility < strength < function

Can lead to an acute injury or disability

Chronic Injury Examples

Rotator Cuff Tendinitis and Bursitis

Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow

Lower Back Pain

Bursitis in the knee (Carpet Layer’s Knee)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Ergonomics & Bodymechanics

Prevention is the key to being pain free

Ergonomics & Bodymechanics

Prevention is the key to being pain free

Ergonomics is matching the task and environment to the worker

Ergonomics & Bodymechanics

Prevention is the key to being pain free

Ergonomics is matching the task and environment to the worker

Bodymechanics is using your body to the best mechanical advantage

The good news is women tend to work smarter!

Examples of Bodymechanics

Lift with legs instead of back

Bend from the hips

Keep the object close to body

Keep spine in neutral posture

Use wide, scissored stance

Keep your nose between your toes

Test the load

Get help when needed

Examples of Bodymechanics

Lift with legs instead of back

Bend from the hips

Keep the object close to body

Keep spine in neutral posture

Use wide, scissored stance

Keep your nose between your toes

Test the load

Get help when needed

Bodymechanics

Neutral spine posture = maintaining 3 normal curves

Bodymechanics

More Bodymechanics

Ergonomics

Finding the best ‘fit’ between a worker and her job conditions

Goal is to create a safe, comfortable environment for the worker so she can be productive

Usually accomplished by redesigning tools or the work process

“Make the tool fit the person”

Ergonomic Tools

Tools make our lives easier on the farm

Ergonomics is not an inherent attribute of tools

Equipment and tools designed for men are not necessarily comfortable, safe, efficient, and easy to use for women!

To be ‘ergonomic’ a tool must:

Fit the user

Be easy to use

Improve comfort

Improve performance (including health and safety)

Risk Factors for Chronic Injuries

Awkward postures

High hand force

Highly repetitive motion

Repeated impact

Heavy, frequent, or awkward lifting

Moderate to high hand-arm vibration

A Risk Factor Becomes a Hazard When…

The duration of exposure gets longer

The work intensity increases

There are a combination of risk factors

Risk Factors

Awkward Postures – being in these positions for more than 2 hours total per day

Hands above head

Elbow above shoulder

Back bent forward more than 30 degrees

Neck bent more than 30 degrees

Squatting

Kneeling

Risk Factors

High Hand Force – more than 2 hours per day of:

Pinching 2 or more pounds weight or 4 or more pounds force

Gripping 10 or more pounds weight or force

Risk Factors

Highly Repetitive Motion – repeating the same motion every few seconds for more than 2 hours per day with:

Neck

Shoulders

Elbows

Wrists

Hands

Risk Factors

Repeated Impact – using hands or knees as a hammer

More than 10 times per hour

More than 2 hours per day

Risk Factors

Heavy, frequent, or awkward lifting – lifting objects more than:

75 lbs. once/day

55 lbs. more than 10 times/day

10 lbs. more than twice/minute for more than 2 hours per day

25 lbs. above shoulders, below knees, or at arms length more than 25 times/day

Risk Factors

Moderate to high hand-arm vibration –

Moderate = more than 30 minutes/day

High Level = more than 2 hours per day

Solutions

Practice good bodymechanics

Physical conditioning – stretching and strength training

Alter risky tasks as needed

Purchase ergonomic tools

Adapt existing tools to fit the user

Adapt the work environment

Solutions

Stretching and Strengthening Tips

Perform balance stretching; always stretch muscles on both sides of your body evenly

Avoid over-stretching. Never stretch to the point of pain or discomfort

Go slow. Always stretch slowly and evenly

Don’t bounce or jerk while stretching; use smooth, slow motions

Breathe. Flexibility exercises should be relaxing. Deep, easy, even breathing is key to relaxation.

Solutions

Use wheels to avoid carrying heavy objects

Raise or lower work benches to accommodate better posture

Choose spring loaded and/or self-adjusting tools (telescoping handles)

When possible automate tasks, such as bulk feeding; look for attachments for existing equipment

Automatic gates

Spinner knob for steering wheels

Solutions

Choose tools that:

Allow your joints to remain in neutral (non-twisted) position

Have grips or handles that comfortably fit your hands

Allow your back to remain as straight as possible

Are adjustable

Come in various sizes

Are custom made

Are as light as possible without compromising function

Minimize strain, lifting, etc.

Examples

DeltaHook Tractor Rapid Hitch

Mention of a particular product does not constitute recommendation or endorsement by AgrAbility or Kansas State University.

Fist Grip Garden Tools with Wrist

Stabilizer

Radius Garden Tools with curved

handle to encourage neutral

wrist posture

Solutions

Sharing-Discussion

Do you have solutions that have worked for you?

Are you searching for solutions to a task that’s causing pain?

Thank you for attending and sharing