A force platform was used to study the effect of the following variables on lifting: distance of the load from the heel (16, 18, or 20 in.), weight of the load (11, 22, or 33 lbs.), and angle of turn (0, 45, or 90°). Five male college students, between the 40th and 60th percentile in height, lifted eight times at each condition. The mean peak force was 50.5 lbs. along the vertical axis, 17.5 lbs. along the frontal axis, and 5.9 lbs. along the lateral axis. The corresponding mean peak torques were 152 in.-lbs. for the twist, 401 for the cartwheel, and 681 for the somersault torques. Object weight had a significant effect on all six criteria. The effect varied in relation to the weight of the body-plus-object more closely than to the weight of the object alone. Angle of turn had a significant effect on all criteria except somersault torque. Distance did not have a significant effect on any criteria except somersault torque.
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