Biomechanics of the back for prevention of occupational musculoskeletal disorders

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Our first research interest is the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders during pregnancy, particularly back pain. During pregnancy, the loads on the spine increase because of the increased body mass, and the shift forward of the trunk centre of mass. Pregnant women may also need to adopt different working postures because of the increased size of the abdomen (for example to reach), and this may cause discomfort and pain if the postures are prolonged. There is still little scientific evidence on which to base decisions on job adjustment, and more research is needed to better understand the interactions between the biomechanical changes of pregnancy and the work environment. We have developed methods to analyse specific tasks performed by pregnant women in the lab or in the field. In the next five years, we will continue to develop relevant research tools to analyse tasks. We will also analyse tasks identified as problematic for pregnant women in the Canadian context (pushing a heavy trolley, computer work) and in the African context (carrying loads on the head). These methods will be used primarily for pregnancy studies but will be available for the study of other populations as well.