Prevention Of Low Back Disorders Research Articles

Surface Electromyographic Activity of the Rectus Abdominis and External Oblique during Isometric and Dynamic Exercises.

Exercises for the abdominal muscles are widely used in athletic activities for strength training and prevention of low back disorders. The timing and volume of muscle activation for various movements have not yet been clarified. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the surface electromyographic activity from the upper (RAU) and lower part (RAL) of the rectus abdominis and the external oblique (EO) muscles during eleven abdominal muscle strength training exercises. Thirty-five healthy male university students with a subspecialty in soccer participated in the study. They performed exercises involving isometric, concentric, and eccentric muscle contractions. The electromyographic recordings were amplified by a factor of 1000, rectified, and integrated. Mean integrated values were calculated by dividing the elapsed time for the five repetitions, to provide the mean integrated electromyographic values for each exercise. Leg movements from a long lying position showed higher activity of the rectus abdominis, compared to the EO (p < 0.001). The dynamic sit-ups showed an obvious dominant activity of the EO, compared to the rectus abdominis (p < 0.001). During eccentric exercise, higher activity was found in the RAU, compared to the RAL (p < 0.001). The results could serve as a basis for improving the design and specification of training exercises. Pre-exercises should be performed before testing abdominal muscle strength.

Athletic training for prevention of low back disorders

Athletic training for prevention of low back disorders

French good practice guidelines for management of the risk of low back pain among workers exposed to manual material handling: Hierarchical strategy of risk assessment of work situations.

Manual material handling remains a major cause of occupational accidents and diseases in various sectors and occupations. This paper summarizes the main recommendations of the good practice guidelines of the French Society of Occupational Medicine for the risk assessment for back disorders in workers exposed to manual handling of loads. The guidelines were written by a multidisciplinary working group of 24 experts, according to the Clinical Practice Guidelines method proposed by French National Health Authority, and reviewed by a multidisciplinary peer review committee of 50 experts. Recommendations were based on a large systematic review of the international literature carried out from 1990 to March 2012 and classified (Grade A, B, C or expert consensus) according to their level of evidence. The main recommendations are a three-level hierarchical method of risk assessment based on participatory ergonomics and suggested assessment tools that can be used routinely by professionals of occupational health, workers themselves and their supervisors. These French guidelines are intended for professionals of occupational health in charge of the prevention of low back disorders. The recommended methods are applicable to other countries than France.

A fuzzy relational rule network modeling of electromyographical activity of trunk muscles in manual lifting based on trunk angels, moments, pelvic tilt and rotation angles

The main objective of the study was to model the electromyographic (EMG) responses for 10 trunk muscles in manual-lifting tasks using the fuzzy relational rule network (FRRN). The FRRN utilized trunk-related variables, including sagittal and lateral trunk moments, pelvic tilt and pelvic rotation angles, and sagittal, lateral, and twist trunk angles as model inputs. The EMG data for model training and testing were randomly selected from a set collected for 20 college students. The data represented a total of 24 combinations of weight lifted (15, 30, 50 lbs), asymmetry (0°, 60°), and the origin and destination of lift (floor-waist, floor-102 cm, knee-waist, knee-102 cm), with two replications of each condition. The primary data-driven fuzzy model with relational input partition was trained using the laboratory EMG data for 10 subjects, and was then tested based on the EMG data for another 10 subjects. The model allowed for estimating EMG responses for the 10 trunk muscles with the average value of mean absolute error (MAE) of 9.9% (SD=1.44%). This study demonstrates that application of fuzzy modeling techniques allows for estimating time domain EMG responses of trunk muscles due to manual lifting under limited task conditions. Relevance to industry Estimation of EMG responses using the proposed fuzzy-based system opens new opportunities for biomechanical modeling of manual-lifting tasks aimed at prevention of low back disorders at the workplace.

Linking latest knowledge of injury mechanisms and spine function to the prevention of low back disorders

While several sophisticated scientific approaches have been employed to understand low back function and injury mechanisms, very few have been broadly used to develop and justify injury prevention strategies. This paper looks beyond the linked segment model, and the lessons learned from this biomechanical approach, to consider the application of more sophisticated approaches. These include modelling approaches with greater anatomical and biological fidelity, fusing the lessons learned from the areas of tissue mechanics and concepts of spine stability, together with some studies that have examined several characteristics including psychosocial, physiological and personal variables. The objective is to better link recently discovered mechanisms of injury and spine tissue health with injury risk reducing approaches.

Utilizing criteria for assessing multiple-task manual materials handling jobs

One approach to the design or evaluation of manual materials handling (MMH) tasks is through the use of various criteria measures that have been developed. For evaluation purposes, the observed value of a criterion measure is calculated from task and workplace parameters, and compared to a specific criterion to assess the level of “acceptability” or “safety” associated with the task. This process is usually completed at the task level. Most criteria are for single MMH tasks; however, the majority of jobs involving MMH are composed of multiple tasks. One of the biggest challenges to exposure assessments of multiple tasks using criteria is the aggregation of the exposure from the individual tasks to a single metric. This paper examines issues relevant to the aggregation of criterion values from multiple MMH tasks. Assessment strategies for evaluating multiple-task MMH jobs are also discussed. The conclusions are: (1) basic and applied research is needed to enhance methodologies for analyzing multiple-component MMH tasks, (2) research is needed to assess the role of MMH criteria in the prevention of low-back disorders when MMH exposures are complex, (3) field methodologies for applying MMH criteria to complex exposures need to be operationally defined to ensure consistent use by practitioners, and (4) MMH criteria should be viewed as design and task analysis tools (i.e., compliance assessment), and not as risk assessment tools. Relevance to industry Jobs in a variety of sectors (e.g., manufacturing, service, transportation) often require workers to perform multiple manual materials handling tasks. However, most available evaluation methods focus on the stresses associated with individual tasks. The methods for assessing exposure to multiple-task manual handling jobs are discussed, with particular emphasis on epidemiological investigations and compliance assessments performed by practitioners.

Attitudes towards prevention of low back disorders in industry.

The attitudes of employees in the metal industry towards possibilities for preventing the occurrence of low back pain were studied. Of 170 clerical employees and 504 manual workers, 86 per cent (n = 146) and 63 per cent (n = 315), respectively, responded to the questionnaire. Opinions were positive in both groups, even among those who reported experience of recurrent or continuous low back pain. Measures requiring their own activity, such as daily training of back and abdominal muscles, straightening the back during awkward postures, increasing physical exercise during leisure time, and increased information about the structure and loading of the back, were considered effective more often than measures involving changes at work or passive rehabilitation. Attitudes towards possibilities for promoting health in general by their own behaviour were more positive among the clerical employees than the manual workers. The attitudes became more negative with increasing age, as well as with reported experience of low back pain in both groups. Thus, it is important that an active approach is taken in occupational health care to motivate subjects to take action themselves in the prevention of low back pain at a younger age, and, at the latest, when the first episodes of low back pain occur.