| Author: | Wong, Chun-hung Kelvin |
| Title: | Difference in time spent in different static trunk postures in special school workers with and without low back pain |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Backache Posture |
| Department: | Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
| Pages: | xi, 102 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | The objective of the present study was to measure and quantify the time spent in different static trunk postures for the teaching staff in a special school for the severe handicaps. A cross-sectional research was conducted. A total of thirty-three subjects were included and the back postures of the staff members were continuously registered during one working day. A bi-axial accelerometer was mounted over the T12 level of the back of the subjects to measure the time spent and extent of static trunk flexion. The result of t-test revealed that the group of subjects with low back pain spent significantly longer percentage of time in static back posture (p<0.05). When the static trunk flexion was further divided into 4 categories (less than or equal to 10o, 11o -30o, 31o -60o, more than 61o), t-tests indicated that the low back pain group tended to spend significantly longer time in static trunk flexion for more than 10o (p<0.0125), whilst the group of subjects without low back pain tended to spend significantly longer time in relatively back straight posture (p<0.0125). The accuracy of the accelerometer for the documentation of static inclination was substantiated by the high correlation between the derived angles from the accelerometer and the readings of the standard goniometer [ICC(1,1)= 1.00]. The proposed algorithms in the determination of threshold for detecting static against dynamic activities was reliable as small averaged difference (0.69 second) was found between the accelerometer and Fastrak in detecting the time of onset and stop of six periods of static and dynamic conditions. The results substantiate the conclusion that the staff members of this special school are at increased risk of getting low back pain when they spend prolonged period of time in static trunk flexion during work. Frequent postural change and awareness of work posture are recommended to relieve the stress over the active and passive sttuctures of the lumbar spine. Moreover, the accelerometer is a feasible instrument for ambulatory monitoring of trunk posture for the whole day work. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
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| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b18182161.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.81 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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