A study of factors affecting the decreased grip strength in a rat model of work-related musculoskeletal disorder

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) are defined as injuries or musculoskeletal disorders due to exposure to risk factors in workplace. The risk factors of WMSD include repetition, force and awkward or static postures. In a rat model of WMSD, previous studies have investigated the pathophysiology of injuries of the upper forelimb caused by voluntary repetitive reaching and grasping tasks. These studies have reported that the repetitive task causes decreased grip strength. However, the factors affecting the decreased grip strength caused by the repetitive task has yet to be determined.