Kauranen K1, Kilpeläinen A1
1Saimaa University of Applied Sciences, Health and Social Care, Lappeenranta, Finland
Background: The exact measuring of movements of different back parts using motion analysis systems has been laborious to achieve in real working environments. This fact has also restricted the study concerning the repeatability of motion analysis measurements of the back. It is also hypothesized that there is a wide variation between the movements of back in a certain task, so the study of back movements using the motion analysis system is meaningless to complete. Despite these flaws, the backs of physiotherapists are under high workload in daily work, and the study concerning movements of back of physiotherapist during facilitation of patient transfer is essential to prevent physiotherapist' lower back problems caused by work.
Purpose: To study the repeatability of movements and the angles of physiotherapists' backs during the facilitation of patient movements using the movement analysis suit in real working environments, and to check the feasibility of the measurement method for ergonomic studies.
Methods: The participants in the study were six volunteer physiotherapists at the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences. The movements of the back segments were measured with a XSENS® motion analysis system (a wearable suit with 17 sensors including accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer) during patient (height: 182 cm, weight: 85 kg and body mass index: 25,7 kg/m2) facilitation from supine position (height of the bed: 63 cm) to standing position. Each participant repeated the facilitation five times as similarly as possible. The monitored back spots were the segments of the vertebra between T8-T9, T12-L1, L3-L4 and L5-S1. The analyzed parameters were the movement of center of mass and angles between the vertebras in flexion direction. The reported result was the coefficient of variation between the five facilitation times.
Results: The largest lower back movements of physiotherapists were observed during the facilitation of the patient from side lying to sitting position, so this phase of facilitation strains the physiotherapists' lower back the most, and the results were reported from the period of this phase. In this phase of facilitation, the coefficient of variation on the forward movement of center of mass [mean, (range)] was 9 (3-23) %. On the flexion angle in T8-T9 segment, the corresponding result was 13 (4-22) %, in T12-L1 segment 13 (4-22) %, in L3-L4 segment 13 (4-22) % and in L5-S1 segment 14 (4-22) %.
Conclusion(s): The results showed that variation of back movements between five facilitation times was relative low. Based on this perception, the motion analysis system seems to be repeatability measurement method for ergonomic studies. In addition, because of the relative constant patient transfer techniques, it is possible and meaningful to study transfer techniques of the individual physiotherapist.
Implications: Because of high repeatability of the results, the measurement method of the project can be utilized in the implementation of future studies concerning the workload on the back. Furthermore, because of the relative constant patient transfer techniques, the results confirm the view that the study of back movements during motion is worthwhile.
Keywords: motion analysis, repeatability, lower back
Funding acknowledgements: No
Purpose: To study the repeatability of movements and the angles of physiotherapists' backs during the facilitation of patient movements using the movement analysis suit in real working environments, and to check the feasibility of the measurement method for ergonomic studies.
Methods: The participants in the study were six volunteer physiotherapists at the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences. The movements of the back segments were measured with a XSENS® motion analysis system (a wearable suit with 17 sensors including accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer) during patient (height: 182 cm, weight: 85 kg and body mass index: 25,7 kg/m2) facilitation from supine position (height of the bed: 63 cm) to standing position. Each participant repeated the facilitation five times as similarly as possible. The monitored back spots were the segments of the vertebra between T8-T9, T12-L1, L3-L4 and L5-S1. The analyzed parameters were the movement of center of mass and angles between the vertebras in flexion direction. The reported result was the coefficient of variation between the five facilitation times.
Results: The largest lower back movements of physiotherapists were observed during the facilitation of the patient from side lying to sitting position, so this phase of facilitation strains the physiotherapists' lower back the most, and the results were reported from the period of this phase. In this phase of facilitation, the coefficient of variation on the forward movement of center of mass [mean, (range)] was 9 (3-23) %. On the flexion angle in T8-T9 segment, the corresponding result was 13 (4-22) %, in T12-L1 segment 13 (4-22) %, in L3-L4 segment 13 (4-22) % and in L5-S1 segment 14 (4-22) %.
Conclusion(s): The results showed that variation of back movements between five facilitation times was relative low. Based on this perception, the motion analysis system seems to be repeatability measurement method for ergonomic studies. In addition, because of the relative constant patient transfer techniques, it is possible and meaningful to study transfer techniques of the individual physiotherapist.
Implications: Because of high repeatability of the results, the measurement method of the project can be utilized in the implementation of future studies concerning the workload on the back. Furthermore, because of the relative constant patient transfer techniques, the results confirm the view that the study of back movements during motion is worthwhile.
Keywords: motion analysis, repeatability, lower back
Funding acknowledgements: No
Topic: Occupational health & ergonomics; Human movement analysis; Musculoskeletal: spine
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Saimaa University of Applied Sciences
Ethics committee: Ethical Committee of Saimaa University of Applied Sciences
Ethics number: 43255
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
