Impact of load carriage on lumbar spine mobility among Indian workers

Abstract

This study was taken up to investigate the effects of different modes of load carriage on lumbar kinematics and the risk of Low Back (LB) pain among Indian construction workers. Ten young construction workers (26.3±1.95 years) volunteered in the study. Lumbar kinematics was measured by using Industrial Lumbar Motion Monitor (iLMM). The volunteers were asked to walk for a distance of 75 meters in three different load conditions i.e. head load, hand load and shoulder load of 20% of body weight. The Lumbar kinematic parameters studied were- Average Twisting Velocity (ATV), Maximum Sagittal Flexion (MSF) and Maximum Lateral Velocity (MLV). It was observed that all the above-mentioned lumbar kinematics - ATV, MSF and MLV increased with the change of modes of load carriage. It had increased the risk of LB problem.