Open AccessRelationship between Foot Position and Lumbar Loads while Turning Patients on a Bed: An Investigation via Computational Simulation and Electromyography
Author(s) -
Kodai Kitagawa,
Kotaro T. Yamamoto,
Chikamune Wada
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of online and biomedical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2626-8493
DOI - 10.3991/ijoe.v17i10.25161
Subject(s) - lumbar , electromyography , foot (prosody) , physical medicine and rehabilitation , medicine , position (finance) , low back pain , physical therapy , anatomy , philosophy , linguistics , alternative medicine , finance , pathology , economics
Caregivers have lower back pain (LBP) since they must reposition patients in bed frequently. Thus, the low lumbar load posture for turning patients should be explored. In this study, we focused on foot position because it can be easily adjusted to reduce back pain. The hypothesis was that short anteroposterior foot distance could reduce lumbar loads because closer position to patient made smaller moments. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between foot position and lumbar loads while turning patients on beds. Furthermore, we compared compression stresses of L4–L5 via computational simulation and erector spinae muscle activities obtained from electromyography (EMG) in nine foot positions. The results showed that short anteroposterior foot distance reduced lumbar loads while turning a patient on a bed.