Physical Burden in Manual Patient Handling: Quantification of Lower Limb EMG Muscle Activation Patterns of Healthy Individuals Lifting Different Loads Ergonomically

Anna Brinkmann, Conrad Fifelski-von Böhlen, Sandra Hellmers, Ole Meyer, Rebecca Diekmann, Andreas Hein

2021

Abstract

Manual patient handling is a challenging part of daily care and leads to high mechanical loads as well as to the development of degenerative diseases, e.g. lower back pain. To prevent musculoskeletal overload effects, the use of ergonomic working techniques is essential as well as improving caregivers’ functional ability. However, most of the studies do not consider these aspects and biomechanical evaluations including dynamic electromyography (EMG) are rarely analyzed. In this work, we focus on the quantification of lower limb EMG muscle activation patterns of healthy caregiver students in an experimental setup. The extent of lifting different loads ergonomically is analyzed and similarities/dissimilarities of dynamic EMG data of three lower limb muscles are investigated via cross-correlation calculation. One of the main findings of our investigation is an indication of a more consistent mean activity of the quadriceps and hamstring musculature, as the load to be lifted increases. Furthermore, we found an intra-as well as an interindividual similarity of EMG muscle activation patterns regarding time and shape of the signals generated during all of the conducted lifting tasks with a predominantly high cross-correlation coefficient for the selected muscles of the lower limb.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Brinkmann A., Böhlen C., Hellmers S., Meyer O., Diekmann R. and Hein A. (2021). Physical Burden in Manual Patient Handling: Quantification of Lower Limb EMG Muscle Activation Patterns of Healthy Individuals Lifting Different Loads Ergonomically. In Proceedings of the 14th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2021) - Volume 5: HEALTHINF; ISBN 978-989-758-490-9, SciTePress, pages 451-458. DOI: 10.5220/0010247804510458

in Bibtex Style

@conference{healthinf21,
author={Anna Brinkmann and Conrad Fifelski-von Böhlen and Sandra Hellmers and Ole Meyer and Rebecca Diekmann and Andreas Hein},
title={Physical Burden in Manual Patient Handling: Quantification of Lower Limb EMG Muscle Activation Patterns of Healthy Individuals Lifting Different Loads Ergonomically},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 14th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2021) - Volume 5: HEALTHINF},
year={2021},
pages={451-458},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0010247804510458},
isbn={978-989-758-490-9},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 14th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2021) - Volume 5: HEALTHINF
TI - Physical Burden in Manual Patient Handling: Quantification of Lower Limb EMG Muscle Activation Patterns of Healthy Individuals Lifting Different Loads Ergonomically
SN - 978-989-758-490-9
AU - Brinkmann A.
AU - Böhlen C.
AU - Hellmers S.
AU - Meyer O.
AU - Diekmann R.
AU - Hein A.
PY - 2021
SP - 451
EP - 458
DO - 10.5220/0010247804510458
PB - SciTePress