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Physiological Fatigue:
It is the fatigue occurred due to the physical exhaustion. A study of the fatigue of homemakers with young children illustrates some of the problems in managing home related work. The number of tasks within a given period of time and shifting from task to task were factors closely related to the fatigue these homemakers experienced. Attitudes toward household tasks and the energy demands of specific tasks, combined with personal feelings of adequacy in carrying out the activities, and the characteristics of the work place have been related to feelings of fatigue.
Haqqard and Greenberg define it as incapacity for exertion induced by previous exertion. This capacity is restored only by rest. After taking rest the lost energy can be regained and we can continue to work further. During the muscular activity, the body consumes fuel and gives out energy. The energy producing material in the muscle is mainly glycogen, which is formed by muscle tissue from sugar products brought to it by the blood. In muscular work, glycogen unites with oxygen in the blood stream, releases energy and forms lactic acid and carbon-di-Oxide (C02), Both these waste products interfere with continued muscular activity of the body.
This state of the body results in a feeling of tiredness which is termed as physiological fatigue. The process of accumulation of lactic acid and C02 can be represented as:
Glucose + O2 = Energy + Lactic Acid + C02
Recovery or the removal of lactic acid and C02 in the muscles is necessary after any and every kind of work. The blood stream picks up' C02 and carries it to the lungs where it is exhaled. At the same time, the blood brings Oxygen to the muscles, and lactic acid is oxidized and reconverted to glycogen. Thus oxygen helps to prevent fatigue by aiding removal of lactic acid in the muscles. However, this can be done only if the body is at rest, and does not release any more lactic acid. If the body continues to work, the oxygen supplied will be used up by glycogen for the release of energy, making the oxygen unavailable for the removal of lactic acid from the muscles. That is why a person gets totally exhausted while doing continuous work.
Posture and use of the body muscles are also very important in performing a task. Imbalanced posture while performing a task and inefficient use of these muscles and muscular effort causes physiological fatigue keeping the body parts and major body weights in well aligned position is essential to avoid fatigue at work.
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