Associations between trunk flexion and physical activity of patient care workers for a single shift: A pilot study

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Work
• Personal Author:
  Arias, Oscar E. ; Umukoroa, Peter E. ; Stoffel, Sonja D. ; Hopcia, Karen ; Sorensen, Glorian ; Dennerlein, Jack T.
• Description:
  Objective:
  
  Characterize the physical load of trunk flexion and physical activity of patient care unit (PCU) workers during a single work shift.
  
  Methods:
  
  Participants wore an accelerometer to measure physical activity and an inclinometer to assess trunk flexion during a single work shift, which was compared using correlation and linear regression analyses. At the end of the shift, each participant rated the exertion level using the Borg perceived exertion scale.
  
  Results:
  
  Participants spent 74% of their work time upright between −10° to 20° and 19% of their time flexed between 20° to 45°. On average workers spent 3% and 5% of their time, in the extreme postures of less than −10° and greater than 45°, respectively. Participants spent 99% of their shift below moderate and vigorous activity. The largest correlation found was between the number of forward trunk flexions to 20° degrees per shift and minutes in lifestyle activity (r=0.6, p<0.001). No correlations between minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity and trunk flexion were observed.
  
  Conclusions:
  
  These pilot study data suggest that the physical demands of patient care unit workers as measured through trunk flexion are associated with lifestyle and light levels of physical activity.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Accelerometry Adult Biomechanical Phenomena Exercise Female Humans Linear Models Male Middle Aged Movement Nursing Assistants Pilot Projects Posture Time Factors Torso

  More +
• Keywords:
  Bending Ergonomics Workload
• Source:
  Work. 56(2):247-255
• Pubmed ID:
  28211832
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC7641201
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  U19 OH008861/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  56
• Issue:
  2
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:155402a6899fc4923a623b1ccf914f516169385e20a7a927fc49a5896c9c9cec
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/153679/cdc_153679_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 178.83 KB ]