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Lumbar spine loads during education and training with self-contained breathing apparatus
1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Evangelisches Krankenhaus, Düsseldorf, Germany. kuepper.cl.th@t-online.de
Objective:
German fire fighters often complain of lumbar back pain after training with a self-contained breathing apparatus while using a device called 'Schlaghammer' (SH). We investigated whether this training produces an excessive load on the lumbar spine.
Method:
We developed a model to estimate the load on the lumbar spine using a vector model similar to Jäger et al.'s model. The force at the SH's cable was recorded on-line, and the position of each subject was registered with synchronized series of photos. The influence of the different parameters was calculated by varying these data (+/- 10%) and computing the model.
Results:
There is no dangerous load for healthy persons using a correct technique. Improper technique, however, caused by exhaustion or ignorance, can result in high peaks of lumbar spine load.
Conclusions:
The lumbar spine loads involved are acceptable if the exercise is performed with a straight back without bending of the lumbar spine and without sudden acceleration. The direction of the pull should be towards the lumbar spine.