Satpute Shantanu A, Uribe Kaylee J, Olaore Oluwatofunmi O, Iizuka Minori, McCumber Gandara Ian C, Schoy William J, Kulkarni Rutuja A, Cooper Rosemarie, Koontz Alicia M, Flaugh Owen, Cooper Rory A
Human Engineering Research Laboratories, Department of VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA.
Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Sensors (Basel). 2024 Nov 27;24(23):7558. doi: 10.3390/s24237558.
: Caregivers experience high rates of occupational injuries, especially during wheelchair transfers, which often result in back pain and musculoskeletal disorders due to the physical demands of lifting and repositioning. While mechanical floor lifts, the current standard, reduce back strain, they are time-consuming and require handling techniques that subject caregivers to prolonged and repeated non-neutral trunk postures, increasing the risk of long-term back injuries. : The aim was to assess the time efficiency and ergonomics of the powered personal transfer system (PPTS), a robotic transfer device designed for bed-to/from-wheelchair transfers. : We evaluated transfers with the PPTS and mechanical lift with eight able-bodied participants who assisted with transfers between a bed and a wheelchair. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) were placed on participants to track their motion and assess trunk joint angles during transfers. : The PPTS significantly reduced the transfer time (144.31 s vs. 525.82 s, < 0.001) and required significantly less range of motion for trunk flexion ( < 0.001), lateral bending ( = 0.008), and axial rotation ( = 0.001), all of which have been associated with back injuries. Additionally, the PPTS significantly reduced the time caregivers spent in non-neutral trunk postures, potentially lowering injury risks. : These findings suggest that the PPTS improves transfer efficiency and caregiver safety, offering a promising alternative to the current standard of care for wheelchair-to/from-bed transfers.
护理人员职业受伤率很高，尤其是在轮椅转移过程中，由于搬运和重新安置患者的体力需求，这常常导致背痛和肌肉骨骼疾病。虽然作为当前标准的机械地面升降机可减轻背部劳损，但它们耗时较长，且需要搬运技巧，这会使护理人员长时间保持反复的非中立躯干姿势，增加长期背部受伤的风险。
目的是评估电动个人转移系统（PPTS）的时间效率和人体工程学特性，该系统是一种设计用于床与轮椅之间转移的机器人转移设备。
我们让8名身体健全的参与者使用PPTS和机械升降机进行转移操作，这些参与者协助在床和轮椅之间进行转移。在参与者身上放置了惯性测量单元（IMU），以跟踪他们的动作并评估转移过程中的躯干关节角度。
PPTS显著缩短了转移时间（144.31秒对525.82秒，<0.001），并且躯干前屈（<0.001）、侧弯（=0.008）和轴向旋转（=0.001）所需的活动范围显著减小，而这些都与背部损伤有关。此外，PPTS显著减少了护理人员处于非中立躯干姿势的时间，潜在地降低了受伤风险。
这些发现表明，PPTS提高了转移效率和护理人员的安全性，为目前床与轮椅之间转移的护理标准提供了一个有前景的替代方案。
