Movement Analysis of Transfer Assistance Using a Slide Board

Abstract

Japan has become a super-aged society. In recent years, the importance and demand of care workers are expected to increase. On the other hand, care workers tend to suffer from musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain or cervico-omo-brachial disorder. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is promoting the measures to prevent these health impairments and the use of slide boards. A slide board is a tool to use when a caregiver transfer a care-receiver from a bed to a wheelchair or a vehicle. Using a slide board, it is not necessary to lift up a care-receiver at the time of transfer assistance. It therefore, reduces the work load of caregivers, which eventually prevent the occurrence of back pains. In order to measure the movement of subjects, 6 MAC3D System cameras (made of Inc. Nac Image Technology) were installed. We attached markers on subjects to analyze the movements and obtained the following results.1) The expert had the care-receiver leaned diagonally forward .2) Made care-receiver's upper body forward, then slid care-receiver on the slide board so as to draw a semicircle to make the transfer smoothly and easily. Therefore it will be possible to reduce the burden of caregiver .