| Author: | Lee, Wing Fong Eva |
| Title: | To explore the effectiveness and acceptance of passive exoskeleton systems in preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders among emergency ambulance service personnel |
| Advisors: | So, Chun Lung Billy (RS) Ng, Shamay (RS) |
| Degree: | DHSc |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Department: | Faculty of Health and Social Sciences |
| Pages: | xiii, 159 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Emergency ambulance service personnel provide out-of-hospital care to injured and unhealthy patients and transport them to hospitals for treatment. Their occupation is characterised by an emphasis on life and death in a limited time frame, performing heavy lifting tasks with awkward postures under unpleasant environments, and stretcher lifting, which is an important risk factor for physiological strain. Knowledge about the prevalence and associated factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) symptoms among emergency ambulance service personnel is lacking. Moreover, a commercially available passive back exoskeleton (PBE) has recently been developed to assist in lifting and reduce loading on the lower back. However, there is limited evidence of their impact on muscle activity, fatigue and discomfort on ambulance personnel. This project is divided into two parts: Study I and Study II. Study I aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of WMSD symptoms among emergency ambulance service personnel by conducting a cross-sectional survey in Hong Kong. A total of 404 emergency ambulance service personnel participated in this study. Results showed that the overall prevalence of self-reported WMSD symptoms among emergency ambulance service personnel was 38.4%. Gender, exercise habits and years of work experience were significant predictors of the prevalence. Moreover, standing, walking, sitting, balancing, twisting the body sideways, fingers gripping, lifting, pushing, hand controlling, twisting the wrist and long-term fixed hand motions positively predicted the WMSD symptoms of emergency ambulance service personnel. These findings offered a robust theoretical basis for formulating targeted interventions designed to alleviate WMSD symptoms among emergency ambulance service personnel, thereby enhancing this critical workforce's overall health and well-being. In a laboratory-based experiment setting, Study II aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a PBE in reducing trunk muscle activity in emergency ambulance service personnel during a stretcher lifting task by using surface electromyography. Moreover, this study used a questionnaire to assess emergency ambulance service personnel' perceived exertion, perceived comfort and acceptance of the PBE. A total of 32 emergency ambulance service personnel participated in this cross-sectional study with random allocation. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in muscle activity for the thoracic and lumbar erector spinae (approximately 7% and 14% for without and with a training manikin, respectively) and a significant increase in the gluteus maximus utilised (approximately 10% and 15% for without and with a training manikin, respectively) when using the PBE. Correspondingly, we observed a significant decrease in rate of perceived exertion. Additionally, perceived comfort during the stretcher lifting task was high, indicating the effective load redistribution and support provided by the PBE. The PBE also received high acceptance scores from emergency ambulance service personnel. These findings suggested that the PBE could significantly mitigate physical strain and enhance operational efficiency, potentially decreasing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. The study supported the PBE use of emergency ambulance service personnel to reduce their trunk muscle activity during the stretcher lifting task. It also highlighted the need for further ergonomic assessments and long-term evaluations to fully understand the implications of regular PBE use in emergency medical settings. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8641.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 2.21 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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