CAN BACK SUPPORTS RELIEVE THE LOAD ON THE LUMBAR SPINE FOR EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN INDUSTRIAL-OPERATIONS

In recent years, there has been an increased use of back supports in U S industry to reduce the frequency and concomitant costs of lower-back disorders. The obvious question is, 'Can back supports relieve the lo ad on the lumbar spine for employees engaged in industrial operations? '. This paper is directed towards answering this question because ther e have been mixed conclusions in the literature reporting on the effic acy of back supports. The literature concerning the biomechanical, phy siological and psychophysical effects of back supports on the human sp ine has been reviewed as well as the use of back supports to control i njury in the workplace. A critical assessment of the findings reported by various investigators has been made together with a discussion of the mechanisms used by the trunk muscles to provide extrinsic stabilit y to the spine. It is hypothesized that the extrinsic stability of the spine is manifested through more than one mechanism. These mechanisms may act simultaneously or sequentially to stabilize the trunk. Finall y, the ergonomics of back supports as a corporate policy are discussed .