A validation of a posture matching approach for the determination of 3D cumulative back loads.

The purpose of this project was to investigate the amount of error in calculating cumulative lumbar spine kinetics using a posture matching approach (3DMatch) compared to a 3D coordinate electromagnetic tracking approach (FASTRAK). Six subjects were required to perform five repeats each of two symmetrical and two asymmetrical lifts while being simultaneously recorded from 4 camera views at viewing angles of 0 degrees , 45 degrees , 60 degrees and 90 degrees to the sagittal plane while wearing eight FASTRAK sensors to define an 8 segment rigid link model (RLM) of the head, arms, and trunk. Four hundred and eighty lifts (6 subjects x20 lifts x4 camera views) were analyzed using the 3DMatch posture-matching program to calculate the following cumulative loads at the L4/L5 joint: compression, anterior shear, posterior shear, reaction shear and extension moment. The errors in cumulative load calculation were determined as the difference between the values calculated for the same lifts using a 3D RLM that used electromagnetic motion tracking sensors (FASTRAK) positioned at the segment center of masses as model inputs. No significant difference (p<0.05) in the relative error for any of the cumulative loading variables between the four camera views and the 3D RLM approach was found. Furthermore the relative errors for cumulative compression, joint anterior shear, reaction anterior shear and extension moment were all below 12%. These results suggest that posture matching by trained users can provide reasonable 3D data to calculate cumulative low back loads with a biomechanical model.