Action and lumbar forces during hospital bed handling: A comparative study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Nursing personnel experience a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders.
• Moving hospital beds is a physically demanding task contributing to this strain.
• The impact of hospital bed design on nursing musculoskeletal strain is under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify action and compressive forces (L5/S1) during the movement of diverse hospital bed designs.
• To evaluate the biomechanical load on nursing staff when maneuvering different hospital beds.

Main Methods:

• Eight participants moved twelve different hospital beds along a simulated hospital ward course.
• Three-dimensional force measurement grips recorded action forces.
• Motion analysis and the 'The Dortmunder' biodynamic model calculated lumbosacral joint (L5/S1) compressive forces.

Main Results:

• Peak action forces varied from 157.3 N to 240.0 N during acceleration and 49.6 N to 92.4 N during steady movement.
• Calculated L5/S1 compressive forces frequently exceeded recommended guideline values for older female employees.
• This indicates a substantial biomechanical load on nursing staff.

Conclusions:

• Specific hospital bed design features, like a fifth caster, can mitigate physical strain.
• Utilizing bed movers or active casters is recommended for frequent or long-distance bed transport.
• These interventions are particularly important for older staff or those with pre-existing musculoskeletal conditions.