Biomechanical analysis of common solid waste collection throwing techniques using OpenSim and an EMG-assisted solver

Abstract

The solid waste collection industry is one of the most common occupations resulting in low back pain (LBP). Lumbar peak joint reaction forces and peak and integrated moments are strong correlates of LBP. To investigate these risks, this study compared three common waste collection throwing techniques of varying lumbar symmetry: the symmetric (SYM) technique, the asymmetric fixed stance (AFS) technique, and the asymmetric with pivot (AWP) technique. Lumbar moments and joint reaction loads were computed for throwing garbage bags of 3, 7, and 11 kg to quantify the effects that technique and object weight have on LBP risk. LBP risk factors were computed using a full-body musculoskeletal model in OpenSim. Muscle activations were estimated using two methods: the EMG-assisted method, which included electromyography data in the solution, and the conventional static optimization method, which did not. The EMG-assisted method more accurately reproduced measured muscle activation, resulting in significantly larger peak compressive and shear forces (p < 0.05) of magnitudes indicative of LBP risk. Risk factors associated with the SYM technique were either larger or not statistically different compared to the asymmetric techniques for the 3 kg condition; however, the opposite result occurred for the 7 and 11 kg conditions (p < 0.05). These results suggest using rapid, asymmetric techniques when handling lightweight objects and slower, symmetric techniques for heavier objects to reduce LBP risk during waste collection throwing techniques. Results indicating increased risk between asymmetric techniques were mostly inconclusive. As expected, increasing bag mass generally increased LBP risk factors, regardless of technique (p < 0.05).