Investigating gripping force during lifting tasks using a pressure sensing glove system

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Biomechanics
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Lifting tasks are a primary cause of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), particularly affecting the low back.
• Shoulder MSDs are also increasingly recognized in manual handling tasks.
• Existing lifting analysis tools focus on low back pain risk, but shoulder issues require further attention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the capability of tactile gloves in measuring gripping force during lifting tasks.
• To determine if gripping force can serve as a supplementary risk metric for MSDs in both shoulder and low back regions.
• To analyze the relationship between gripping force and various lifting conditions.

Main Methods:

• Thirty participants performed simulated lifting tasks while wearing tactile gloves to measure gripping force.
• Task variables included lifting weight, height, direction, body rotation, and handle type.
• Regression models were employed to analyze the influence of these variables on measured gripping force.

Main Results:

• Measured gripping force explained 58% of the lifting weight variance.
• When individual differences were considered, gripping force explained 70% of the lifting weight variance.
• These findings indicate a strong correlation between gripping force and lifting weight.

Conclusions:

• Gripping force, measured via tactile gloves, shows potential as a supplementary risk metric for MSDs.
• This metric can provide additional insights beyond traditional lifting risk assessments.
• Further research could integrate gripping force into comprehensive ergonomic assessments for manual handling.