Reliability of forearm medial-anterior surface dimensional changes at different isometric hand grip forces.

Indirect techniques of predicting hand grip force are fundamental to develop hand control systems for assistive devices. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of 3D position of forearm surface at different isometric hand grip forces. Three-dimensional motion analysis was used to measure displacement of 24 discrete and standardized surface markers placed on forearm in 20 healthy participants.

Exploring Factors Influencing Low Back Pain in People With Nondysvascular Lower Limb Amputation: A National Survey.

Background: Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal impairment in people with lower limb amputation. Given the multifactorial nature of LBP, exploring the factors influencing the presence and intensity of LBP is warranted.

Objective: To investigate which physical, personal, and amputee-specific factors predicted the presence and intensity of LBP in persons with nondysvascular transfemoral amputation (TFA) and transtibial amputation (TTA).

Spinal, pelvic, and hip movement asymmetries in people with lower-limb amputation: Systematic review.

Following amputation, people with transfemoral amputation (TFA) and transtibial amputation (TTA) adapt with asymmetrical movements in the spinal and lower-limb joints. The aim of this review is to describe the trunk, lumbopelvic, and hip joint movement asymmetries of the amputated limb of people with TFA and TTA during functional tasks as compared with the intact leg and/or referent leg of nondisabled controls. Electronic databases were searched from inception to February 2014.

Perceptions of low back pain in people with lower limb amputation: a focus group study.

Purpose: This study explored the perceptions of people with a lower limb amputation as to important factors contributing to their low back pain (LBP).

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted (three focus groups and two individual interviews), with 11 participants with lower limb amputation and on-going LBP. The discussions were analysed using the General Inductive Approach.

Asymmetrical movements of the lumbopelvic region: is this a potential mechanism for low back pain in people with lower limb amputation?

Low back pain (LBP) is a major secondary disabling condition following lower limb amputation including persons with above-knee and below-knee amputation. Whilst the increasing prevalence of this musculoskeletal problem in people with lower limb amputation is well recognised, the mechanisms of LBP in this population have been poorly explored. Asymmetrical movements and loading patterns have been found in persons following lower limb amputation and linked to the high prevalence of LBP in this population.

Intra-session and inter-day reliability of forearm surface EMG during varying hand grip forces.

Surface electromyography (EMG) is widely used to evaluate forearm muscle function and predict hand grip forces; however, there is a lack of literature on its intra-session and inter-day reliability. The aim of this study was to determine reliability of surface EMG of finger and wrist flexor muscles across varying grip forces. Surface EMG was measured from six forearm flexor muscles of 23 healthy adults.

DMA Clinical Pilates Directional-Bias Assessment: Reliability and Predictive Validity.

Study Design: Randomized, repeated-measures crossover design.

Objectives: To determine the interrater reliability of directional-bias assessment and to investigate its validity for predicting immediate changes in dynamic postural stability and muscle performance following directionally biased exercises.

Background: Directional bias in dynamic postural stability deficits may be associated with outcome following intervention.

The interaction between skill, postures, forces and back pain in wool handling.

Wool handling is an important rural occupation where workers process 200 or more fleeces daily, separating them into various quality components. Loads and postures they experience carry substantial risk of low back pain (LBP). Although a formal skill training structure exists, interaction with loads and LBP is unknown.

Exposure to whole-body vibration and mechanical shock: a field study of quad bike use in agriculture.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) and mechanical shock in rural workers who use quad bikes and to explore how personal, physical, and workplace characteristics influence exposure.

Methods: A seat pad mounted triaxial accelerometer and data logger recorded full workday vibration and shock data from 130 New Zealand rural workers. Personal, physical, and workplace characteristics were gathered using a modified version of the Whole Body Vibration Health Surveillance Questionnaire.

The effect of a Clark twin block on mandibular motion: a case report.

Aims: To investigate mandibular motion in six degrees of freedom before, during and after twin block treatment in one individual.

Methods: The appliance was worn for eight months, and motion recordings, using a 12-camera opto-electric system, were captured prior to placement of a twin block appliance and 2, 4, 14 and 52 weeks after insertion.

Results: The wide variations in mandibular motion that accompany twin block wear disappeared post-treatment, except for an increase in anteroposterior movement of the mandible.

The influence of skill and low back pain on trunk postures and low back loads of shearers.

Shearing is a rural occupation developing considerable spinal loads and carrying a high risk of low back pain (LBP). Although the workforce has a skill structure, interaction between skill, spinal loads and LBP is unknown. We examined whether skill and LBP influenced trunk postures and loads within a sample of 80 shearers representing shear skill levels.

An examination of shoulder postures and moments of force among different skill levels in the wool harvesting industry.

The wool harvesting industry employs workers of varying skill levels that differ in both quality and number of harvested fleeces. As it was unknown how skill affected parameters such as joint posture and loading, the current study comparatively examined 140 wool harvesting workers representing 4 skill levels during wool harvesting competitions. Three-dimensional upper limb postures and peak and cumulative shoulder moments were calculated for each worker.

The Spineangel: Examining the validity and reliability of a novel clinical device for monitoring trunk motion.

Spinal loading in excessive and repeated trunk flexion may hinder recovery from acute low back pain. The Spineangel device provides real-time patient biofeedback on trunk flexion and may facilitate recovery from lower back injury. This cross-sectional study evaluates validity and reliability of this device in the laboratory setting.

All-terrain vehicle use in agriculture: exposure to whole body vibration and mechanical shock.

Whole body vibration (WBV) and mechanical shock were measured in 12 New Zealand farmers during their daily use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). As per the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) guidelines for WBV exposure, frequencies between 0 and 100Hz were recorded via a seat-pad tri-axial accelerometer during 20min of ATV use. The farmers were also surveyed to estimate seasonal variation in daily ATV usage as well as 7-day and 12-month prevalence of spinal pain.

Trunk postures and peak and cumulative low back kinetics during upright posture sheep shearing.

Sheep shearing is the most demanding occupation in the wool harvesting industry and is known to have a high prevalence of low back pain. While use of a commercially available trunk harness reduces load on the low back, the extreme trunk flexion associated with shearing still remains. A novel, upright posture shearing technique has been designed to allow a more neutral spine posture.

The effect of age on lumbar range of motion: a systematic review.

A systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effect of age on lumbar range of motion (ROM). Assessment of lumbar ROM is commonly used in spinal clinical examination. Although known to reduce with advancing age, it is unclear how this occurs across different age bands; how this compares between movement planes; and what differences exist between males and females.

Three-dimensional spinal motion and risk of low back injury during sheep shearing.

Sheep shearers are known to work in sustained flexed postures and have a high prevalence of low back pain (LBP). As sustained posture and spinal movement asymmetry under substantial loads are known risk factors for back injury our aim was to describe the 3D spinal movement of shearers while working. We hypothesised that thoraco-lumbar and lumbo-sacral movement would be tri-axial, asymmetric, and task specific.

The influence of a back support harness on spinal forces during sheep shearing.

Previous research has classified the occupation of sheep shearing as heavy work where shearers flex their spine and hips for long periods of time, handle awkward loads and expend high amounts of energy. The aim of this research was to investigate the magnitude of spinal forces produced during the shearing phase of the work and to determine whether the use of a commercially available back support harness would reduce these forces. Following discussion on task complexity and risk of back injury with senior shearing instructors, three component tasks of the shearing phase were identified as posing high risk of injury and were prioritized for primary analysis.