Physiological and biomechanical responses to a prolonged repetitive asymmetric lifting activity

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of a prolonged repetitive asymmetric lifting task on behavioural adaptations during repetitive lifting activity, measures of tissue oxygenation and spine kinematics. Seventeen volunteers repeatedly lifted a box, normalised to 15% of the participant's maximum lifting strength, at the rate of 10 lifts/min for a period of 60 min. The lifts originated in front of the participants at ankle level and terminated on their left side at waist level. Overall, perceived workload increased during the repetitive lifting task. Erector spinae oxygenation levels, assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy, decreased significantly over time. Behavioural changes observed during the repetitive lifting task included increases in the amount of forward bending, the extension velocity and the lateral bending velocity, and a reduced lateral bending moment on the spine. These changes, with the exception of the reduced lateral bending moment, are associated with increased risk of low back disorder.

Abstract

Practitioner Summary: Repetitive lifting is known to affect low back injury risk; however, the biomechanical mechanisms linking physical fatigue and back injury risk are not well understood. This study showed that behavioural adaptations made by people performing asymmetric repetitive lifting activity may increase risk through increased dynamic loading of the tissues.

Keywords::

• repetitive lifting
• manual handling
• musculoskeletal disorders
• biomechanics
• near-infrared spectroscopy