NPR - Even 'proper' technique exposes nurses' spines to dangerous forces

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In this "All Things Considered" segment from NPR, Daniel Zwerdling highlights nurses, like Sunny Vespico, that have injured their backs while using the "proper body mechanics" lifting technique tought by nursing schools and hospitals for the last 100 years. Dr. William Marras of the SRI shares his ground-breaking research which concludes that there is no safe way to lift using only body mechanics and that hospital systems need to start using machines and other equipment or there will continue to be injuries.

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In this close-up screenshot from a simulation video, you can see the exact moment NPR correspondent Daniel Zwerdling endured dangerous levels of stress on his spine while re-creating the way nurses push their patients in a lift chair. The blue arrows show the high magnitude and distribution of forces from his muscles, while the red indicates the high level of forces on the discs in his spine.

 

Category: SRI-Ergonomics