Journal article
The effect of posture and seat suspension design on discomfort and back muscle fatigue during simulated truck driving
Applied ergonomics, Vol.25(2), pp.66-76
1994
DOI: 10.1016/0003-6870(94)90067-1
PMID: 15676952
Abstract
Several studies have shown a relationship between low-back problems and exposure to seated whole-body vibration. The amount of vibration transmitted to the operator is influenced by the posture of the subject in the vehicle. The aim of this study was to determine whether a truck seat with a gas spring in its suspension is superior to the standard spring seat in slowing the onset of muscle fatigue and reducing the level of discomfort experienced during road vibrations while maintaining typical driving postures. The experiment used a 2 × 3 (2 seats × 3 postures) repeated measures design. It was conducted on six males free from low-back pain. Subject comfort was rated before and directly after exposure to typical vibrations. Muscle fatigue using centre frequency was determined during vibration exposure, and the magnitude and phase of acceleration transfer were calculated from the base plate to the seat pan and from the seat pan to the bite bar. None of comfort, fatigue rate or fatigue average were affected by seat type or seat suspension design in the short term, 10 min vibration exposure. Fatigue and comfort measures could continue to be used to detect postural defects, but the more sensitive measures of seat/driver interactions remain mechanical ones using motion-measuring techniques such as accelerometry and correcting for the heavily damped nature of the system. Until more sophisticated manikins are available the characteristics of vibration-attenuating seats should be confirmed using live humans.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The effect of posture and seat suspension design on discomfort and back muscle fatigue during simulated truck driving
- Creators
- D Wilder - Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Engineering Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USAM.L Magnusson - Department of Orthopaedics, Occupational Unit, University of Göteborg, S-413 45 Göteborg, SwedenJ Fenwick - Millersville University, Math Department, Wickersham Hall, Millersville, PA 17551, USAM Pope - Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Engineering Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Applied ergonomics, Vol.25(2), pp.66-76
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- DOI
- 10.1016/0003-6870(94)90067-1
- PMID
- 15676952
- ISSN
- 0003-6870
- eISSN
- 1872-9126
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 1994
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984064205202771
Metrics
11 Record Views