Abstract
Adoption of the stooped posture in the workplace is widespread throughout the world in agriculture, construction, and mining. This type of posture has been established as a risk factor for developing low back disorders (LBDs). The purpose of this study is to evaluate a personal weight transfer device as a possible intervention to reduce the load on the lumbar spine, thereby reducing the risk of developing LBDs. Eighteen healthy subjects performed stooped posture tasks in a laboratory study designed to simulate harvesting of low-growing crops. Results showed that when wearing the device in the static stooped posture, biceps femoris activity was reduced by 17%, lumbar flexion was reduced by 12%, ankle plantar-flexion increased by 5%, and the lumbar erector spinae of those subjects who did not experience flexion-relaxation of the erector spinae was reduced by 26%. Hip and knee flexion were not significantly altered. Therefore, the device may be beneficial for those with existing LBDs, and who use the stooped posture routinely.