Functionality of Lumbar Support Intervention towards Discomfort Level and Muscles Activity of Back Muscle for Manufacturing Industrial Workers

Abstract

Repetitive movement is one of common posture for industrial workers that contribute to the musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). This posture caused the pain muscle especially at the back of the body. However, industries made a few interventions in preventing the lower back pain (LBP) issues in work training module and worker’s attitude. In this study, back support suggested as an intervention that helps to keep spine aligning to a natural and neutral position of the body posture as well to avoid risk and pain. The research aim to focus on the functionality of the lumbar support device towards the discomfort level and muscles activity of back muscle using the proposed design. Survey of discomfort level and muscle activity of workers was conducted in a way to analyse the biomechanical factors of the human body. From the survey data that is analysed, 59% and 17% of respondents having moderate and very pain at the lower back muscles. The result of this study producing the comparison of proposing a lumbar support device using Nordic survey and electromyography (EMG). The survey shows the level of discomfort of wearing a proposed design reduce compare to without and with current lumbar support device. Last but not least, the reducing of RMS value of the EMG signal was 60.57% compared to workers that not wearing this device while 56.33% compared to workers wearing current lumbar support device.