THE EFFECTS OF LUMBOSACRAL SUPPORT BELTS AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLE STRENGTH ON FUNCTIONAL LIFTING ABILITY IN HEALTHY WOMEN

Study Design. This study focused on lumbosacral support belts, abdomin al muscle strength, and lifting ability in healthy women. Subjects und erwent manual muscle testing to determine muscle strength and performe d lifting procedures to determine lifting capacity. Objectives. The pu rpose of this study is threefold: 1) to determine the effectiveness of lumbosacral support belts in improving lifting ability in healthy wom en, 2) to determine if lumbosacral support belts are more effective fo r those with weak abdominals than those with strong abdominals, and 3) to determine if the maximum amount of weight varies with abdominal mu scle strength. Summary of Background Data. In a review of published li terature, one study has addressed the relationship of lumbosacral supp ort belts and lifting capacity. However, no study has examined the use of lumbosacral support belts and lifting capacity in a female populat ion. Methods. A convenient sample of 69 healthy women, aged 20 to 40 y ears, participated in this study. Subjects were categorized into one o f three groups based on lower and upper abdominal muscle strength. Eac h subject then performed two lifting procedures, one with a lumbosacra l support belt and one without, to determine two maximum lifts. Result s. Women between the ages of 20 and 40 years could lift approximately 1.0 kg more weight from the floor to waist height with the lumbosacral support belt. The maximum weight lifted varied with abdominal strengt h. Lumbosacral support belts were not more effective for those with we ak abdominals than those with strong abdominals. Conclusions. When app lied properly and used in conjunction with proper lifting technique, l umbosacral support belts slightly improved lifting ability in healthy women. The magnitude of the increase, although statistically significa nt, is not sufficient to advocate the use of lumbrosacral support belt s to increase lifting capacity.