Cart pushing: The effects of magnitude and direction of the exerted push force, and of trunk inclination on low back loading

The primary objective of the present study was to quantify the relative effect of the magnitude and direction of the exerted push force and of trunk inclination on the mechanical load at the low back using a regression analysis for correlated data. In addition, we explored the effects of handle height and type of pushing activity (standing or walking) on the magnitude and direction of exerted forces, trunk inclination, and low back loading when pushing a four-wheeled cart on a treadmill. An experimental setup was designed in which nine participants pushed a four-wheeled cart on a treadmill. Kinematics and reaction forces on the hand were measured to calculate the net moment at the L5–S1 intervertebral disc. Results show that the magnitude and direction of the exerted push force and the trunk inclination significantly and independently affect low back load. It is concluded that for the ergonomic evaluation of pushing tasks, the inclination of the trunk should be considered, in addition to the magnitude and direction of exerted forces.Relevance to industryPushing carts is a common activity for a considerable part of the workforce and has been associated with musculoskeletal complaints. This paper shows that not only the magnitude of exerted forces determines the low back load but also the direction of the exerted forces and the inclination of the trunk should be considered for ergonomic evaluation.