Lumbosacral compression in maximal lifting efforts in sagittal plane with varying mechanical disadvantage in isometric and isokinetic modes.

Nine normal male subjects (mean age 28.2 years and mean weight 72.6 kg) performed 20 standardized maximal effort lifting tasks. They were asked to perform stoop and squat lifts at half, three-quarters and full individual horizontal reach distances in mid-sagittal plane in isometric and isokinetic modes (fixed velocity 60 cm/s). Both stoop and squat lifts were initiated at the floor level and terminated at the individual's knuckle height keeping the horizontal distance constant throughout the lift. The isometric stoop lifts were performed with hip at 60 degrees and 90 degrees of flexion with hands at preselected reach distances. The isometric squat lifts were performed with knees at 90 degrees and 135 degrees of flexion with hands at similarly preselected reach distances. The force was measured using a Static Dynamic Strength Tester with load cell (SM 1000). The postures were recorded using a two-dimensional Peak Performance System with an event synchronizing unit. The load cell was sampled at 60 Hz and the video filming was done at 60 frames per second. The force and postural data were fed to a biomechanical model (Cheng and Kumar 1991) to extract external moment and lumbosacral compression. The strengths generated in different conditions were significantly different (p < 0.01). The strength variation ranged by up to 73% whereas the lumbosacral compression varied by only up to 15%. A high level of lumbosacral compression was maintained in all conditions.