A data acquisition and analysis system for the biomechanical evaluation of patient moving and transferring equipment and procedures

Abstract

Patients and people with various disabilities are frequently moved and transferred by nurses and carers and consequently it is important to assess the risks involved when undertaking such tasks. People with disabilities are often able to bear some of their weight and this has led to the development of non-mechanical aids designed to reduce the load on the nurse or carer when undertaking a transferring manoeuvre. It is essential that aids are assessed thoroughly in order to ensure that transfers are safe and that advice and guidance can be given on the most appropriate equipment in a given situation. This paper describes a data acquisition and analysis system that has been developed to assist in such assessments. The system integrates measurements of spine movements, foot pressure and knee flexion with video recording of a transferring manoeuvre. A biomechanical model provides an estimate of the loading at the bottom of the lumbar spine for comparison with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines. A pilot assessment of non-mechanical aids prior to a full user trial demonstrated that such a system can provide valuable data from which to assess risk during patient transferring manoeuvres.

The biomechanical evaluation of patient transfer tasks by female nursing students: With and without a transfer belt

“…However, biomechanical studies of patient transfer tasks with the use of transfer belts have not produced any convincing evidence of their effectiveness in terms of reduced effort or reduced injuries in operators (Allen and De Stefano, 2007;Hess et al, 2007). In addition, the biomechanical evaluation method used in research to assess patient transfer tasks and risks for LBDs focuses mostly on force evaluation, such as spinal load (Allen and De Stefano, 2007) and external hand forces (Dutta et al, 2012) of the patient handler. Yet, Umer et al (2016) argued that an acceptable load on the back might not represent safe practices if postures are awkward, which can also contribute to LBDs.…”

Cuidadores informais de usuários de cadeira de rodas: identificando perfis e compreendendo o impacto biomecânico da atividade de transferência

“…Tais recursos são projetados de forma que sejam incentivadas práticas adequadas de manuseio e reduzindo o risco de ocorrência de prejuízos físicos. Embora muitos recursos estejam disponíveis comercialmente, é essencial que a prescrição e uso dos mesmos sejam avaliados minuciosamente de formas subjetivas e objetivas, de forma que possam ser dadas orientações sobre a escolha mais apropriada para determinada situação (ALLEN; STEFANO, 2007).…”