Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Effects of posture on dynamic back loading during a cable lifting task.

Sean Gallagher1, William S Marras, Kermit G Davis

  • 1National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, PA 15236-0070, USA. sfg9@cdc.gov

Ergonomics
|May 25, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sex- and Age-Related Variation in Vertebral Geometry Influences Lumbar Spine Loading: An Image-Based Computational Modeling Study.

Annals of biomedical engineering·2026
Same author

Impact of vertebrae shape variation on lumbar spine loading: an image-based computational modeling study.

European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·2026
Same author

Biomechanical models of lumbar spine degeneration: Methods, challenges, and clinical promise.

Clinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)·2025
Same author

First-in-Human Study of a Novel Coronary Crossing Device for Calcified Lesions.

JACC. Cardiovascular interventions·2025
Same author

A Computational Multiscale Framework for Bone Remodeling: Coupling Apparent Density Evolution and Microscale Shape Optimization.

International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering·2025
Same author

Effects of Bed Height on Balance during Ingress and Egress from a Hospital Bed.

International journal of nursing and health care research·2025
Same journal

Identification of systemic barriers, facilitators and adaptations to effective record-keeping: a South African primary healthcare clinic case study.

Ergonomics·2026
Same journal

Layer-specific facial soft-tissue thickness in 1174 Chinese adults: Implications for finite-element headforms and ergonomic design.

Ergonomics·2026
Same journal

The dual effects of information presentation speed on operator performance in dynamic tasks: a study in supervisory control and data acquisition interfaces.

Ergonomics·2026
Same journal

Evaluating generative AI teaching assistants in simulated learning environments: how instructor type and support type affect students' perceptions.

Ergonomics·2026
Same journal

Swipe smart, not hard: hand health of smartphone users in a university population.

Ergonomics·2026
Same journal

Couriers' work-related musculoskeletal disorders and psychological distress: Insights for work errors and traffic safety.

Ergonomics·2026
See all related articles

Lifting heavy mining cables in various postures significantly increases spinal loads and trunk muscle activity. Both increased cable weight and changes in lifting posture independently elevate risks of spinal injury in underground coal mines.

Area of Science:

  • Occupational biomechanics
  • Ergonomics
  • Mining safety engineering

Background:

  • Underground coal mining involves manual handling of heavy electrical cables.
  • These cables, weighing up to 10 kg/m, are often lifted in confined spaces, posing ergonomic risks.
  • Previous research has not fully quantified spinal loads during these specific tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the spinal loads and trunk muscle responses during lifting and hanging heavy mining cables.
  • To investigate the influence of different postures and added load on biomechanical parameters.
  • To provide data for improving safety protocols in underground mining operations.

Main Methods:

  • Seven male subjects performed eight distinct cable lifting/hanging tasks.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Tasks involved combinations of four postures (standing, stooping, kneeling) and two load levels (0 N, 100 N).
  • Trunk kinematics, electromyograms (EMGs) of trunk muscles, and an EMG-assisted model were used to calculate spinal loads.

    • Main Results:

    • Increased cable load and altered postures independently affected trunk muscle recruitment and spinal loading (p < 0.05).
    • Higher loads increased overall EMG activity and axial/lateral bending moments.
    • Posture changes induced selective muscle recruitment and affected sagittal plane moments, with significant spinal loading magnitudes.

    Conclusions:

    • Both load and posture are critical factors influencing spinal biomechanics in mining cable handling.
    • Average spinal compression exceeded 3400 N across all tested cable lifting tasks.
    • Findings highlight the substantial risk of spinal injury and the need for ergonomic interventions.