Article ID: 24-00392
Awkward postures and repetitive forward bending movements in wall construction tasks indicate a risk of lower back pain (LBP). Trunk flexion during these tasks places a significant impact on lower back muscles, which are essential for maintaining spinal stability. However, the relationship between lower back muscles and trunk flexion in wall construction tasks remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lower back muscle activity and trunk flexion during wall construction tasks. In a laboratory setting, twelve young male students (ages: 21.83±1.27 years) participated in simulated wall construction tasks. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors were used to collect tasks movement data. A 3D musculoskeletal model was used to conduct inverse dynamics simulations to calculate muscle activity and trunk flexion angles. Maximum activity of the Iliopsoas (IL), Quadratus Lumborum (QL), Multifidus (MF), Erector Spinae (ES), and Gluteus Maximus (GM) muscles was compared with maximum trunk flexion during the performance of wall construction tasks at foot, knee, waist, and shoulder heights. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationships between maximum muscle activity and trunk flexion angles. In mortar spreading task, statistically significant relationships were found between the maximum muscle activity of the MF (r = .39), ES (r = .49), and QL (r = .47), with forward trunk flexion angles. In bricklaying task, a strong positive correlation was observed between trunk flexion angles and ES (r = .60), GM (r = .53), and QL (r = .75), muscles. Conversely, a moderate positive correlation was found between the trunk flexion and the IL (r = .23), and MF (r = .45) muscles. Wall construction at different heights demonstrated associations between lower back muscle activity and trunk flexions. Therefore, these findings may be helpful for developing interventions to reduce the risk of LBP among wall construction workers.
