Impact of work performance on the body proportions in Blacksmith: A

somatometric analysis.
Paul Reynolds 10/25/14

Introduction
The article shares background information of how the physical work of a Blacksmith has an
impact on the human body. Blacksmiths have a history of having a more muscular upper body
due to the type of physical work they perform. Because of the demand of the type of work
blacksmith do it creates asymmetry of the body. Those movements are including repeatedly
swinging heavy hammers over the head, using a grinding wheel and other tasks they tend to use
the upper body. This topic is being studied to show how the Blacksmiths bodies with morph to
be able to perform the labor that the body is repetitively subject to. The scientists did the research
to see if there was a correlation between blacksmith work and the effect on the bodys size and
overall health. The scientists gathered measurements of the bodies of different blacksmith. This
topic has value and importance because it helps us to know the positive and negative effects of
manual labor, and how the body reacts to being subjected to such labor. In our society today
there is a change in how work is being done. Where once work was very physically active and
demanding on the body, it is now more mental and less physically demanding on the body. This
study shows how the can and will adjust to the physical conditions that it is subject to. Over all
the scientists are trying to show how the work of blacksmiths changers the body proportions and
creates asymmetry.
Materials and Methods
The scientists gathered information for the study by using a group of men that have a long
history of being blacksmiths. The men are from the Punjab region and are called Lohaar. These
Impact of work performance on the body proportions in Blacksmith: A
somatometric analysis.
Paul Reynolds 10/25/14

blacksmiths made many type of metal works like knives, blades machinery parts farm equipment
and other things. The work involved a heavy iron hammer that was used in one hand while the
other hand was hold the iron rod. This type of work required a lot of strength and physical
activity that developed the upper body. The scientists used men in the study that where 30-40
years old and there were 200 men in the study. The men were measured for anthropometric
measurements focusing their body asymmetry. With the measurements the where gathered the
scientists use equations to analyze the data.
Results
The results showed that due to the type of work the blacksmiths perform and how it is manly one
side of the body that is used for the heavy hammer and the other for not so heavy that there
where size differences. As the scientists said Finding the study indicates that Blacksmiths
possess bilateral differences for all the skinfold except for the suprailica and thigh skinfolds
(AjitPal Sinnh et al). There were no surprises in this experiment. The data showed proof to what
was initially being sought after. They also found a correlation between the blacksmiths that
where over weight and heart diseases.
Discussion
From these result we find that if one part of your body is doing more of the heavy lifting that will
correlate with the sizes of the muscle in the area of the body that is being used. The information
that was gathered supported the hypothesis and they did prove and find the intended results. The
date that was gather was sufficient for their study and any more date with just help back up what
Impact of work performance on the body proportions in Blacksmith: A
somatometric analysis.
Paul Reynolds 10/25/14

has already been found. The limitations I see in this study is that the pool of men where only
from one region. They could get a more objective and comprehensive study it they were to take
samples of people all over the world and other occupations.