Industrial Quantification of Occupationally-Related Low Back Disorder Risk Factors

Abstract

Few assessment technigues have attempted to define the role of occupational trunk motion in the risk of occupationally-related low back disorder (LBD) even though laboratory studies have indicated that motion significantly Increases spine loading. An in-vivo study was performed to assess the contribution of three- dimensional dynamic trunk motions to the risk of LBD during occupational lifting in industry. Over 400 industrial lifting jobs were studied in 48 industries. Specific manual materials handling jobs historically identify as either high risk or low risk for LBD were identified. A tri-axial electrogoniometer was worn by workers and documented the three-dimensional trunk motion characteristics associated with these high risk or low risk jobs. Workplace characteristics such as load moment arm, load weight, etc. were also documented for each of the repetitive lifting tasks. A multiple logistic regression model indicated that a combination of five trunk motion and workplace factors (lifting frequency, load moment, trunk lateral velocity, trunk twisting velocity, and trunk sagittal angle) predicted occupational-related LBD risk well. The analyses have enabled us to determine the LBD risk associated with combined changes in the magnitudes of the five factors. This model could be used as a quantitative, objective measure to redesign the workplace so that the risk of occupationally-related LBD is minimized.