Table 1. Methodological quality assessment results.
| Author | Study purpose | Study design | Study population | Musculoskeletal exposures and/or physiological responses | Musculoskeletal symptoms | Statistical analyses | Results | No. of positive categories | % of positive categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahn et al (2016) [36] | + | + | ? | - | ? | - | + | 3/7 | 42.9% |
| Albin and Mcloone (2014) [37] |
- | + | ? | ? | ? | ? | - | 1/7 | 14.3% |
| Billinghurst and Vu (2015) [38] | + | + | + | ? | NA | ? | ? | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Chiang and Liu (2016) [33] | + | ? | + | ? | ? | ? | ? | 2/7 | 28.6% |
| Chiu et al (2015) [35] | + | + | + | ? | + | + | + | 6/7 | 85.7% |
| Choi et al (2016) [39] | ? | + | + | - | NA | + | - | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Guan et al (2015) [40] | - | + | + | ? | NA | ? | + | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Guan et al (2016) [34] | + | + | ? | ? | NA | + | ? | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Hong et al (2013) [22] | ? | - | + | ? | NA | ? | ? | 1/6 | 16.7% |
| Inal et al (2015) [41] | + | + | + | ? | ? | ? | + | 4/7 | 57.1% |
| Jacquier-Bret et al (2014) [42] | ? | ? | - | ? | NA | + | + | 2/6 | 33.3% |
| Jung et al (2016) [43] | - | + | ? | ? | NA | ? | + | 2/6 | 33.3% |
| Kee et al (2016) [44] | + | + | + | ? | ? | + | + | 5/7 | 71.4% |
| Kietrys et al (2015) [20] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | + | 5/6 | 83.3% |
| Kim (2015) [45] | + | - | + | ? | ? | + | + | 4/7 | 57.1% |
| Kim and Kim (2015) [25] | - | + | ? | - | - | - | + | 2/7 | 28.6% |
| Kim et al (2012) [46] | - | ? | + | ? | NA | - | - | 1/6 | 16.7% |
| Kim et al (2014) [18] | + | + | + | ? | ? | + | + | 5/7 | 71.4% |
| Kim et al (2014) [47] | + | + | + | ? | ? | + | + | 5/7 | 71.4% |
| Kingston et al (2016) [48] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | + | 5/6 | 83.3% |
| Ko et al (2016) [49] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | + | 5/6 | 83.3% |
| Lee and Seo (2014) [50] | + | + | ? | ? | NA | + | + | 4/6 | 66.7% |
| Lee et al (2012) [51] | - | + | + | ? | ? | ? | - | 2/7 | 28.6% |
| Lee et al (2015) [52] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | - | 4/6 | 66.7% |
| Liang and Hwang (2016) [53] | + | ? | + | ? | NA | + | + | 4/6 | 66.7% |
| Lin et al (2015) [54] | + | + | + | ? | ? | + | + | 5/7 | 71.4% |
| Ning et al (2015) [55] | + | + | ? | ? | NA | ? | + | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Park et al (2015) [56] | + | + | ? | - | NA | + | ? | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Pereira et al (2013) [57] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | + | 5/6 | 83.3% |
| Shan et al (2013) [24] | + | + | + | ? | ? | + | + | 5/7 | 71.4% |
| Shim (2012) [58] | ? | ? | + | ? | NA | + | + | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Shin and Kim (2014) [59] | - | ? | + | ? | ? | - | - | 1/7 | 14.3% |
| Sommerich et al (2007) [23] | ? | + | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 1/7 | 14.3% |
| Stoffregen et al (2014) [60] | ? | + | + | ? | NA | + | - | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Straker et al (2008) [19] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | + | 5/6 | 83.3% |
| Trudeau et al (2012) [61] | + | + | ? | ? | NA | + | + | 4/6 | 66.7% |
| Trudeau et al (2013) [62] | + | + | + | ? | ? | + | + | 5/7 | 71.4% |
| Trudeau et al (2016) [63] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | + | 5/6 | 83.3% |
| Vasavada et al (2015) [64] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | + | 5/6 | 83.3% |
| Werth and Babski-Reeves (2014) [16] | ? | + | + | ? | NA | ? | - | 2/6 | 33.3% |
| Xie et al (2016) [21] | - | + | + | ? | ? | + | + | 4/7 | 57.1% |
| Xiong and Muraki (2014) [65] | + | + | + | ? | NA | ? | ? | 3/6 | 50.0% |
| Xiong and Muraki (2016) [66] | + | + | ? | ? | NA | + | + | 4/6 | 66.7% |
| Young et al (2012) [67] | + | + | + | ? | NA | + | + | 5/6 | 83.3% |
| Young et al (2013) [68] | + | ? | + | ? | NA | + | + | 4/6 | 66.7% |
(+): positive, (-): negative, (?): unclear (i.e. insufficient information available), NA: not applicable