Jh. Skotte, Estimation of low back loading on nurses during patient handling tasks: the importance of bedside reaction force measurement, J BIOMECHAN, 34(2), 2001, pp. 273-276
By means of video recording, measurement of ground reaction forces, and bio
mechanical modeling of the lower part of the body, the low back loading of
nurses during patient handling can be estimated. In this study the force ex
erted on the bedside by a nurse during different patient handling tasks was
measured, and the contribution to the moment at the L4/L5 joint was invest
igated. It is shown that the bedside reaction moment contributes significan
tly to the total moment, and could lead to substantial over-estimation if n
ot appropriately included in the calculations, when using an upward biomech
anical model for estimating the spinal load of nurses during patient handli
ng tasks. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.