Citation

Gagnon M, Roy D, Lortie M, Roy R. Int. J. Ind. Ergonomics 1988; 3(1): 29-40.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Handling patients in bed using a pique (a waterproof padded sheet placed under the patient) with, in particular, the activity of pulling and turning the patient, is associated with a high incidence of risks for the spine. Six female subjects, not experienced with the task, were evaluated for spinal loadings at the L5/S1 joint, for selected muscular activities in the trunk and shoulders and for work-energy factors. Films, force platforms and EMG recordings supplied the data; dynamic segmental analyses were performed to calculate reaction forces at L5/S1, and a planar single-muscle equivalent was used to estimate internal loads. Three treatments were administered which allowed comparisons to be made for two hand grip positions on the pique (close to the patient vs. a 15 cm distance) and two movement patterns (continuous vs. interrupted with a pause). It was hypothesized that moving the hand grips away from the patient would favour a straighter-back position and a reduction of spinal loadings; it was also hypothesized that non-interrupted motions involving changes of direction of efforts would be more strenuous for the spine. Analyses of variance with repeated measures were conducted and the locations of significant differences were made with Scheffe method of multiple comparisons. Conflicting results were obtained for the hand grip positions but the results suggest that the partition of a task into several operations (with pauses) is indicated. Recommendations are made to examine more thoroughly trunk postures or back curvatures in relation to spinal loadings.