Risks of low back pain in four different lumbopelvic movement patterns during two person-lifting in freestyle and recommended lifting methods

Abstract

Loads on the spine (LOS) play an important role in back injuries. Numerous studies have focused only on one lifter who carried a single object. This current study aimed to classify lifting strategies using the pelvic angle at the beginning of the lift and compare LOS between the freestyle and recommended lifting methods to lift a patient off the floor (50 kg) using a stretcher with two lifters. Each pair of 88 participants were asked to lift a stretcher off the floor with the freestyle and recommended lifting methods. The results showed that the pelvic angle can be divided into four types and LOS was high in types III and IV. This study suggests that LOS of the lifter would decrease by performing at least a semi-squat posture and an anterior pelvic tilt of 10‒20 degrees.

Keywords

• lifting
• loads on the spine
• low back pain
• lumbopelvic movement