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Udo, Hiroshi et al
Dept. of Public Health, Hiroshima University School
of Medicine
Introduction: This was the third study of lumbago belts conducted
in Japan to measure effects on workers performing three different
types of work. A questionnaire was completed by 200 crane workers
at an iron manufacturing plant and 60 individuals were randomly
selected who said they had experienced lower back pain during
the preceding month. Crane workers, compared to other workers,
have a high complaint of pain. They also have large amounts of
forward-sitting posture, as high as 61.9% in 6.3 hours driving
per day. The 60 subjects were divided into a group of 30 wearing
a lumbago support belt designed and provided by the investigators
and a second group of 30 not wearing a belt. The study period
was one year.
Methods of Study: Subjects were examined by two doctors who
measured degree of forward lumbar flexion, forward flexion, lumbar
kinetic pain, muscle tenderness-measured by a tenderness meter
(algesiometer), and a Lasègue test on angles with an angle-meter.
Also studied were subjective lumbago evaluations and the actual
working conditions taken from each employee's daily journal.
Results: "The group wearing a lumbago belt had significant
improvement in examination findings, with high rates of improvement
among the subjects in the total Lumbar Evaluation examination
and the Subjective Lumbago Evaluation."
The authors continue to say "because findings at the
third health examination were improved more than those at the
second health examination, the improvement is expected to show
up between six months and one year."
By the third examination, 72.4% of the subjects in the belt
group said they had improved "more than slightly" while
20.8% of the non-belt group said they had improved more than
slightly.
Conclusion: Based on the results, the authors say the effectiveness
of the preventive lumbago belt for improving lumbago among crane
workers was recognized. "From now on, the preventive lumbago
belt is expected to be adopted for driving work."
"The rates of improvement in the Subjective Lumbago
Evaluation were 72.4% for the belt group...the belt group had
a significantly higher rate of improved subjects."
Hiroshi Udo, MD
Presented at the 65th Nihon Sangyou Eisei Gakki (Japan
Industrial Hygiene Society), 1992. (Review by Chase Ergonomics
approved by Dr. Udo, July 1996.)
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