Prevalence Of Low Back Injuries Research Articles

Performance, Perceived Impacts, and Perceived Use of Low-back Exoskeletons for EMS Work

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have a high prevalence of low back injuries and low-back pain. Low back exoskeletons, that have proven to be effective tools in injury prevention in industry, can be seen as a potential solution to reducing the risk of injury for EMTs. The aim of this study was to evaluate user perception and perceived workload of EMTs for a low back exoskeleton. Trained EMTs performed various equipment and patient handling tasks as well as tasks providing emergency care in a control condition and while wearing a low back exoskeleton. While overall perception of the exoskeleton was positive, EMTs did not perceive the low back exoskeleton to be useful for their job.

The Effect of Stirrup Length on Impact Attenuation and Its Association With Muscle Strength.

Keener, MM, Critchley, ML, Layer, JS, Johnson, EC, Barrett, SF, and Dai, B. The effect of stirrup length on impact attenuation and its association with muscle strength. J Strength Cond Res 35(11): 3056-3062, 2021-Horseback-riders have a high prevalence of low back injuries, which may be related to the repetitive low back impacts experienced in riding. The purposes of this study were to quantify the effect of 3 stirrup lengths and 2 riding styles on the peak acceleration experienced by the rider and the association between the peak acceleration and the rider's different elements of muscle strength. Thirteen female riders performed a sitting or rising trot at each of the 3 stirrup lengths (2-point length, mid-seat length, or dressage length), while the acceleration of the tibia, sacrum, seventh cervical vertebra (C7), and head were collected. Subjects completed a push-up, a vertical jump, and 4 core exercises to assess upper-body strength, lower-body strength, and core endurance, respectively. Peak acceleration of the sacrum, C7, and head were generally lower in the standing phase of the rising trot compared with the sitting phase of either the sitting or rising trot, particularly at the shortest stirrup length. Peak acceleration of the sacrum, C7, and head decreased as the stirrup length was shortened in the standing phase of the rising trot. Canonical correlations showed nonsignificant correlations between strength measurements and peak acceleration. Riding with more weight supported through the legs with a short stirrup length may decrease low back impacts and their associated injury risk. Technique training is likely needed to encourage riders to use lower-body and core strength for impact attenuation.

Application of a Simple Surveillance Method for Detecting the Prevalence and Impact of Overuse Injuries in Professional Men's Basketball.

The aim of this study was to use the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (OSTRC) Overuse Injury Questionnaire to record overuse injuries over a single season for a men's professional basketball team to (a) assess the prevalence and severity of overuse injuries and (b) determine the efficacy of this method in identifying overuse injuries in comparison with the team physiotherapist's detection of these injuries. Thirteen athletes from a men's professional basketball team participated in this study. The self-reported, OSTRC injury questionnaire was used to record overuse conditions of the ankle, knee, and lower back over an entire 24-week season. Standard time-loss injury registration methods were also used to record overuse conditions by the physiotherapist. Overuse injury rates per 1,000 hours of athlete exposure and average weekly prevalence of overuse injuries were calculated using the results of the questionnaire. A total of 183 overuse conditions were identified by the questionnaire, whereas only 28 overuse conditions were identified by the physiotherapist. The team's average weekly prevalence of all overuse conditions was 63% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 60-66), with the highest prevalence of injury affecting the lower back (25.9% [95% CI: 19.7-32.1]). The overuse injury rate per 1,000 hours of athlete exposure was 6.4. The OSTRC overuse injury questionnaire captures many more overuse injuries in basketball than standard time-loss methods. The prevalence of lower back injuries is higher than that previously reported in basketball. This additional method of overuse injury surveillance may more accurately quantify the overuse injury problem in basketball and aid earlier intervention and management of these conditions.

Moments of speaking and silencing: Nurses share their experiences of manual handling in healthcare

Nursing care involves complex patient handling tasks, resulting in high musculoskeletal injury rates. Epidemiological studies from the 1980s estimated a lifetime prevalence of lower back injuries for nurses between 35 and 80%. National and international studies continue to mirror these findings. Despite the development of programs intended to reduce manual handling injuries, sustainable solutions remain elusive. This paper reports on a study of nurses speaking about their perspectives on current manual handling practices. Qualitative research conducted in 2012 investigated nurses' perceptions and experiences relating to manual handling in the healthcare context and their participation in injury prevention programs. There were two research methods: semi-structured interviews and researcher reflective journaling. The research was framed in critical emancipatory methodology. Thirteen nurses from two Australian states participated in the study. Thematic analysis revealed an overarching theme of 'power relations' with a subcategory of '(mis)power' that comprised two subthemes, these being 'how to practice' and 'voicing practice issues'. Specifically, this paper explores nurses verbalising their views in the workplace and responses which left them feeling silenced, punished and disillusioned. The findings suggest that the sociopolitical context within which nurses practice impacts upon their ability to voice concerns or ideas related to manual handling. Inclusion of nurses in the manual handling dialogue may generate an expanded understanding of, and the potential to transform, manual handling practices in healthcare environments.

Continuous assessment of work activities and posture in long-term care nurses

The high prevalence of low back injuries in nursing has prompted the use of mechanical lift assists while overall assessment of activities and postures remains limited. The purpose of this study was to chronicle trunk posture and work tasks of long-term healthcare professionals. An inclinometer monitored trunk posture for 27 workers, 20 of whom were also observed continuously throughout their shift. Patient lifts and transfers accounted for less than 4% of the shift while patient care, unloaded standing and walking and miscellaneous tasks accounted for 85%. Manual lifts and transfers occurred twice as often as mechanically assisted lifts but took only half the time. The workers had a median trunk flexion angle of 9.2°, spent 25% of their time flexed beyond 30° and had peak flexion angles greater than 75° in many tasks. Analysis of posture throughout the entire working shift indicates that, in addition to lifts and transfers, emphasis needs to be placed on patient care and miscellaneous activities when assessing injury risk for nurses. Statement of Relevance: Patient handling has been the focus in the effort to reduce back pain and injury in nursing. In addition to the use of mechanical lifts, there is a need to examine other aspects of nursing, including patient care and other ancillary tasks, which comprise the majority of the work shift and, while often unloaded, exhibit extreme postures that may also lead to injury.

Evaluation of lifting tasks frequently performed during fire brick manufacturing processes using NIOSH lifting equations

A fire brick manufacturing company with a high prevalence of low back injuries was selected for analysis of lifting tasks using the 1991 revised NIOSH lifting equations. We analyzed several manufacturing processes: forming, heating and packing processes involving frequent lifting and lowering in asymmetric postures. A questionnaire survey showed that weight of the load significantly influenced the incidence of back injuries and that workers who reported to have experienced back injuries were older than those who did not experience them. Composite Lifting Indices (CLI) based on the 1991 revised NIOSH lifting equations were calculated for 14 tasks of the forming process and five tasks of the heating/packing processes. Calculated CLIs for the tasks ranged from 0.86 to 8.8 (average 2.73) in the forming process and from 3.7 to 18.9 (average 11.12) in the heating/packing processes. The majority of the lifting tasks in this company exceeded the recommended weight limit (RWL). The results suggest that the tasks should be redesigned ergonomically to eliminate the risk factors that may cause low back injuries. Most of the jobs under study could be redesigned to lessen the biomechanical stress simply by making horizontal locations closer to a worker or by reducing the asymmetric angles. Relevance to industry During fire brick manufacturing processes, asymmetric lifting activities are frequently performed in Korea. It is crucial and beneficial to both management and labor to evaluate such tasks ergonomically based on the 1991 revised NOISH lifting equations for identifying risk factors that may cause musculoskeletal disorders.