EFFECTS OF BACK SUPPORT ON INTRAABDOMINAL PRESSURE AND LUMBAR KINETICS DURING HEAVY LIFTING

Lumbosacral supports (LSSs) have been used to minimize the risk of low er back injuries. Theoretically, an LSS will raise intra-abdominal pre ssure (IAP) and reduce loads in the lower back region. This investigat ion compared three different LSSs with an unsupported condition. Nine males lifted a weighted box four times, once per condition, at 90% of their one-repetition maximum. Conditions were compared in terms of eff ects on IAP and its relieving force on L5-S1 kinetics. A multivariate analysis of covariance revealed no statistically significant differenc es among the three LSSs and the nonsupport conditions on the aforement ioned dependent variables. This suggests that there is no difference a mong LSSs in terms of their biomechanical effects on the lower back re gion and that the use of any LSS does not necessarily afford more prot ection than a proper lift without one.