Trunk Postural Variability and its Association with Perceived Back Load and Pain in Surgical Staff

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSWe investigated the association between postural variability during a surgical procedure and both perceived back load and self-reported low-back pain history among surgical assistants. Postural variability was assessed using the standard deviations of lumbar flexion (directly related to trunk extensor muscle length) and trunk inclination (a predictor for back loading). Lumbar flexion variability showed a significantly negative correlation with both perceived back load during the measured procedure and perceived back load during the measured procedure relative to a typical procedure. However, neither of the variability measures yielded an association with low-back pain history. Although our study does not show an association between postural variability and low-back pain, it does suggest that variation in trunk extensor muscle length may reduce short-term perceived back load. Variation in lumbar flexion could be evoked on the work-floor by various types of interventions aimed at increasing postural variability.