Muscle Activation Patterns of the Upper Limb in Agricultural Tasks: Exploring Opportunities for Vocational Rehabilitation in Vertical Farming

This study aimed to investigate muscle activation patterns during agricultural activities on a vertical farm. Twenty-three adults (10 males and 13 females) participated in the study. We assessed muscle activation across the following five common agricultural tasks in a vertical farming facility: seeding, temporary transplanting, transplanting, harvesting, and packing the harvest. Surface electromyography (Telemyo 2400 MR-XP; Noraxon, Scottsdale, AZ, USA) devices were placed on eight upper limb muscles: left and right anterior deltoids, left and right biceps brachii, left and right brachioradialis, and left and right flexor carpi ulnaris. All eight upper limb muscles were engaged during the tasks, and the primary muscles were the left and right anterior deltoids ( P < 0.001). After investigating muscle activation by task, the flexor carpi ulnaris showed significantly higher activation during the harvesting task than during the other tasks ( P < 0.05). These findings contribute to our understanding of the biomechanical demands of agricultural activities, such as those in indoor environments in vertical farming settings. Furthermore, the results provide valuable baseline data that can be used to design vocational rehabilitation programs, particularly for individuals with disabilities. The insights obtained from this study can inform the development of more targeted training methods and educational content to optimize job rehabilitation in agricultural settings.