Validation of a Wireless Sensor System for the Estimation of Cumulative Lumbar Loads in Occupational Settings

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of 3D L5/S1 moment estimates from a wearable inertial motioncapture system during manual lifting tasks. Reference L5/S1 moments were calculated using inversedynamics bottom-up and top-down laboratory models, based on the data from a measurement systemcomprising optical motion capture and force plates. Nine groups of four subjects performed tasks consistingof lifting and lowering 10 lbs. load with three different heights and asymmetry angles. As a measure ofsystem performance, the root means square errors and absolute peak errors between models werecompared. Also, repeated measures analyses of variance were calculated comparing the means and theabsolute peaks of the estimated moments. The results suggest that most of the estimates obtained from thewireless sensor system are in close correspondence when comparing the means, and more variability isobserved when comparing peak values to other models calculating estimates of L5/S1 moments.