Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Evaluation of Respiratory Muscle Activation Using Respiratory Motor Control Assessment (RMCA) in Individuals with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: July 19, 2013
[Measurement of muscular activity by surface electromyography during use of an emergency evacuation chair]
Elena Caballero Martín1, Yolanda Gallego Fernández, Josep María Molina
1Dpto I+D+i en Prevención, MC Mutual, Provença, 321, Barcelona, 08037, Spain. ecaballerom@mc-mutual.com.
Objective:
To compare the different techniques used by paramedics in handling an emergency evacuation chair and to identify themore ergonomically favourable technique, based on an analysis ofmuscular activity using surface electromyography.
Methods:
The trial was based on descending stairs, through four possible arrangements for the same transport operation, where the study variables were: worker anthropometrics (5th and 95th percentiles, corresponding to the extremes of the normal height-weight distribution curve), worker location during chair transport (upper or lower end of the chair), and the position of the individual at the lower end (facing front or backwards during descent).
Results:
For both workers participating in the study, the more favourable working position during chair descent was at the lower end of the chairwhile facing forward, as this was associated with less muscular activity. In general, physical demands on the various muscles studied was greater for the worker corresponding to the 5th percentile (i.e., lower height-weight), except for the paravertebral musculature which, for certain maneuvers involving manipulation was significantly greater than the 95th percentile.
Conclusions:
When descending stairs while transporting an emergency evacuation chair, the position involving least muscular activity is located at the lower end of the chair, and descending while facing forwards.
