Tax the back’s structure of bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and tendons too much or once too often in the workplace and pain and damage are inevitable. A team of researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada set out over two decades ago to explore the mysteries of the intricate structure. Their work helps explain why “too much” and “once too often” can vary from worker to worker performing exactly the same task, and it promises to broaden the understanding of ergonomics in the workplace. The team’s findings are already influencing the way injured backs are treated.
Stuart McGill, BPE MSc PhD, and seven PhD students under his direction make up the team. Having seven students means he has “seven experiments going on all at the same time every day,” he told the The Ergonomics Report
This article originally appeared in The Ergonomics Report™ on 2005-09-07.