Beyond Ergonomics: Evolving to Achieve Fewer Back Injuries in the Future?

Abstract

Painful, disabled backs from tissue damage do not just happen, nor are they caused by psychosocial issues. Nearly all injury mechanisms are linked to joint motion and posture patterns. For example, posture determines which tissue is damaged and at which load (magnitude, duration, frequency, load rate etc). In the case of disc herniation, repeated joint flexion appears to be a necessary condition. Even with an “ergonomically correct” or well designed job, some will still experience pain or injury. This is because so much of the loading experienced by joints is generated not by external loads, but by the muscles themselves. People use different strategies to activate muscles and move through motion patterns. Thus, the way that they choose to move plays a large role in determining their risk of injury. While Ergonomics is important, it is only a component in a broader effort needed to achieve minimal injury rates. In many cases, ergonomic approaches involving job design are impractical or do not address the injury mechanisms that form the root cause of disabled backs. Entire sectors of the workforce cannot use job design (such as law enforcement, forestry, farming, fishing, to name a few). Evidence suggests that an approach to address the cause rather than the symptoms must look beyond ergonomics and consider changing the individual. Successful reduction of back injury rates in the future will have to consider “changing the person to fit the task”.