Being a tattoo artist is a pain in the neck.

• Position: Ergonomics

Getting a tattoo may hurt, but giving one is no picnic, either--that is the finding of a study to measure the physical stresses that lead to aches and pains in tattoo artists--those who support a multibillion-dollar American industry, but who often do not have access to workers' compensation if they get injured.

Researchers for Applied Ergonomics measured the muscle exertions of tattoo artists while they were working, and found that all of them exceeded maximums recommended to avoid injury, especially in the muscles of their upper back and neck.

Some reasons for the artists' discomfort are obvious immediately: they sit for prolonged periods of time, often taking a posture just like the one immortalized in the Norman Rockwell painting, "Tattoo Artist"; perch on low stools; lean forward; and crane their neck to keep their eyes close to the tattoo they are creating.

Most notable is the strain on the trapezius muscles--upper back muscles that connect the shoulder blades to either side of the neck, a common site for neck and shoulder pain.

Tattoo artists suffer ailments similar to those experienced by dentists and dental hygienists, the researchers concluded. Like dental workers, tattoo artists perform detailed work with their...