Protecting Our Low Backs: The Effect of Bed Height on Low Back Force During a Boosting Task

Abstract

Date Presented 03/31/2022 OTs frequently experience low back pain secondary to patient handling tasks. Different bed heights have been shown to elicit different low back and hand forces, but the full range of bed heights has never been explored. This study observed low back and hand forces using a full range of bed heights and found that higher bed heights reduce the forces necessary when performing a patient boosting task, thereby reducing the overall stress on the bodies of OTs. Primary Author and Speaker: Robert E. Larson Contributing Authors: Spencer R. Peterson, Lauren W. Adams, A. Wayne Johnson, Ulrike H. Mitchell