Integration of Lumbar Extensor Muscle Strengthening with Ergonomic Seating

描述（由申请人提供）：该补助金提出了一种创新的方法，以防止腰痛和与长期坐着相关的伤害。具体来说，我们建议整合腰伸肌肌肉加强与人体工程学的任务座位。通过这样做，我们将为公众提供一种方法，以解决腰痛和受伤的两个主要原因：1）不良或长期的坐姿，2）腰部肌肉薄弱，并在不离开工作场所的情况下这样做。随着超过1亿美国工人坐在工作岗位上，工作方式变得越来越久坐，平均工人年龄越来越大，预防措施的必要性至关重要。每年有超过1亿个工作日因腰痛而损失，仅次于普通感冒。雇主的医疗费用每年超过260亿美元;与生产力损失和新雇员再培训有关的费用每年超过1 000亿美元。 利用我们在机械硬件方面的初步工作，第一阶段将开发独立和安全执行运动方案所需的技术，并测试运动刺激的有效性，以通过一种新的骨盆稳定方法隔离腰椎伸肌。具体目标1将开发一个计算机化的视觉反馈系统，用于安装在椅子上，以监测用户在锻炼期间的表现。Special Aim 2将评估和比较两种器械在动态躯干伸展运动过程中的腰伸肌表面肌电图（EMG）活动;我们的原型Back to-Work Chair TM和经临床验证的MedX TM腰椎伸展机（MedX Corporation，Ocala，FL）。这项工作的成功完成将使我们进入第二阶段，在工作环境中对椅子进行临床验证。这将包括对坐着的工人进行可用性测试，以优化计算机反馈系统的易用性和内容，以及一项为期12周的渐进式阻力锻炼计划，以确定单独腰椎强化对腰痛和腰椎形态学变化报告的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This grant proposes an innovative approach to prevent low back pain and injury associated with prolonged seating. Specifically, we propose to integrate lumbar extensor muscle strengthening with ergonomic task seating. By doing so, we will provide the public with a means to address two primary causes of low back pain and injury: 1) poor or prolonged seating postures, and 2) weak lumbar muscles, and to do so without leaving the workplace. With over 100 million American workers sitting on the job, work styles becoming more sedentary, and the average worker getting older, the need for preventive measures is critical. Over 100 million work days are lost each year due to low back pain, second only to the common cold. Medical treatment costs for employers exceed $26 billion per year; costs related to lost productivity and retraining new employees exceed $100 billion per year. Leveraging our preliminary work on the mechanical hardware, Phase I will develop the technology required for independent and safe performance of the exercise regimen and test the efficacy of the exercise stimulus to isolate the lumbar extensors via a novel method of pelvic stabilization. Specific Aim 1 will develop a computerized visual feedback system for inclusion on the chair to monitor user performance during exercise. Specific Aim 2 will evaluate and compare lumbar extensor surface electromyographic (EMG) activity during dynamic trunk extension exercise on two devices; our prototypic Back-to-Work ChairTM, and the clinically proven MedXTM Lumbar Extension machine (MedX Corporation, Ocala, FL). Successful completion of this work will position us in Phase II to subject the chair to clinical validation in a workplace environment. This would include usability testing with seated workers to optimize the ease of use and content of the computer feedback system, and a 12 week program of progressive resistance exercise to determine the effect of isolated lumbar strengthening on reports of low back pain and morphological changes of the lumbar spine.