Wearable Technology to Increase Self-Awareness of Low Back Pain: A Survey of Technology Needs among Health Care Workers
Low back pain (LBP) is a leading contributor to musculoskeletal injury worldwide and carries a high economic cost. The healthcare industry is the most burdened, with nurses, in particular, being highly prone to LBP. Wearable technologies have the potential to address the challenges of monitoring pos...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/24/8412 |
| _version_ | 1797500752885710848 |
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| author | Andrea Ferrone Christopher Napier Carlo Menon |
| author_facet | Andrea Ferrone Christopher Napier Carlo Menon |
| author_sort | Andrea Ferrone |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Low back pain (LBP) is a leading contributor to musculoskeletal injury worldwide and carries a high economic cost. The healthcare industry is the most burdened, with nurses, in particular, being highly prone to LBP. Wearable technologies have the potential to address the challenges of monitoring postures that contribute to LBP and increase self-awareness of workplace postures and movements. We aimed to gain insight into workers’ perceptions of LBP and whether they would consider using wearable monitoring technologies to reduce injury risks. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to gather information from a selected population of nurses. Sixty-four participants completed the survey, and data were analyzed with the support of Machine Learning techniques. Findings from this study indicate that the surveyed population (64 nurses) is interested in these new approaches to monitor movement and posture in the workplace. This technology can potentially change the way ergonomic guidelines are implemented in this population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:08:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-12c6abdfb329488aa7d06468f6504da7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:08:22Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-12c6abdfb329488aa7d06468f6504da72023-11-23T10:31:06ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-12-012124841210.3390/s21248412Wearable Technology to Increase Self-Awareness of Low Back Pain: A Survey of Technology Needs among Health Care WorkersAndrea Ferrone0Christopher Napier1Carlo Menon2Menrva Research Group, Schools of Mechatronic Systems & Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaMenrva Research Group, Schools of Mechatronic Systems & Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaMenrva Research Group, Schools of Mechatronic Systems & Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaLow back pain (LBP) is a leading contributor to musculoskeletal injury worldwide and carries a high economic cost. The healthcare industry is the most burdened, with nurses, in particular, being highly prone to LBP. Wearable technologies have the potential to address the challenges of monitoring postures that contribute to LBP and increase self-awareness of workplace postures and movements. We aimed to gain insight into workers’ perceptions of LBP and whether they would consider using wearable monitoring technologies to reduce injury risks. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to gather information from a selected population of nurses. Sixty-four participants completed the survey, and data were analyzed with the support of Machine Learning techniques. Findings from this study indicate that the surveyed population (64 nurses) is interested in these new approaches to monitor movement and posture in the workplace. This technology can potentially change the way ergonomic guidelines are implemented in this population.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/24/8412safetyriskshuman factors and ergonomicswearable technologiesmusculoskeletal injurycross-sectional survey |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Ferrone Christopher Napier Carlo Menon Wearable Technology to Increase Self-Awareness of Low Back Pain: A Survey of Technology Needs among Health Care Workers Sensors safety risks human factors and ergonomics wearable technologies musculoskeletal injury cross-sectional survey |
| title | Wearable Technology to Increase Self-Awareness of Low Back Pain: A Survey of Technology Needs among Health Care Workers |
| title_full | Wearable Technology to Increase Self-Awareness of Low Back Pain: A Survey of Technology Needs among Health Care Workers |
| title_fullStr | Wearable Technology to Increase Self-Awareness of Low Back Pain: A Survey of Technology Needs among Health Care Workers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wearable Technology to Increase Self-Awareness of Low Back Pain: A Survey of Technology Needs among Health Care Workers |
| title_short | Wearable Technology to Increase Self-Awareness of Low Back Pain: A Survey of Technology Needs among Health Care Workers |
| title_sort | wearable technology to increase self awareness of low back pain a survey of technology needs among health care workers |
| topic | safety risks human factors and ergonomics wearable technologies musculoskeletal injury cross-sectional survey |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/24/8412 |
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