Self-reported back pain in fork-lift truck and freight-container tractor drivers exposed to whole-body vibration

Boshuizen, Hendriek C.; Bongers, Paulien M.; Hulshof, Carel T. J.

Affiliations

¹Coronel Laboratory, Facility of Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract and keywords

To study the long-term health effect of whole-body vibration, a questionnaire on symptoms of ill health was mailed to 242 drivers and a reference group of 210 workers from six harbor companies (response 81%). Vehicles driven were fork-lift trucks and freight-container tractors. Vibration level during a representative working period (vector sum of the frequency weighted acceleration in the x-, y-, and z-directions) was 0.8 m/sec² for the fork-lift trucks and 1.0 m/sec² for the freight-container tractors. Only the results concerning self-reported symptoms of the back are described. Of the young (<35 years), shortterm-exposed drivers, 68% reported that they had back pain regularly vs. only 25% of the reference group of comparable age. With increasing age, the difference in the prevalence of self-reported regular back pain between the drivers and the reference group disappeared. Driving during the 5 years preceding the onset of symptoms seemed to increase the risk of back pain, whereas earlier exposure did not.

Keywords: back pain; fork-lift truck drivers; whole-body vibration

Links

DOI: 10.1097/00007632-199201000-00010

PubMed: 1531556

WoS: A1992GZ56000010

History

Accepted: 1991-07-19

Cited Works (5)

Year	Entry
1981	Adams MA, Hutton WC. The relevance of torsion to the mechanical derangement of the lumbar spine. Spine. May–June 1981;6(3):241-248.
1990	Boshuizen HC, Bongers PM, Hulshof CTJ. Self-reported back pain in tractor drivers exposed to whole-body vibration. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. February 1990;62(2):109-115.
1987	Hulshof C, van Zanten BV. Whole-body vibration and low-back pain: a review of epidemiologic studies. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. March 1987;59(3):205-220.
1990	Bongers PM, Hulshof CTJ, Dijkstra L, Boshuizen HC, Groenhout HJM, Valken E. Back pain and exposure to whole body vibration in helicopter pilots. Ergonomics. August 1990;33(8):1007-1026.
1985	Adams MA, Hutton WC. The effect of posture on the lumbar spine. J Bone Joint Surg. August 1985;67B(4):625-629.

Cited By (17)

Year	Entry
2003	Cann AP, Salmoni AW, Vi P, Eger TR. An exploratory study of whole-body vibration exposure and dose while operating heavy equipment in the construction industry. Appl Occup Environ Hyg. December 2003;18(12):999-1005.
1997	Scutter S, Türker KS, Hall R. Headaches and neck pain in farmers. Aust J Rural Health. February 1997;5(1):2-5.
2004	Cann AP, Salmoni AW, Eger TR. Predictors of whole-body vibration exposure experienced by highway transport truck operators. Ergonomics. October 22, 2004;47(13):1432-1453.
1999	Bovenzi M, Hulshof CTJ. An updated review of epidemiologic studies on the relationship between exposure to whole-body vibration and low back pain (1986–1997). Int Arch Occup Environ Health. September 1999;72(6):351-365.
2004	Kittusamy NK, Buchholz B. Whole-body vibration and postural stress among operators of construction equipment: a literature review. J Safety Res. 2004;35(3):255-261.
1998	Bovenzi M, Hulshof CTJ. An updated review of epidemiologic studies on the relationship between exposure to whole-body vibration and low back pain. J Sound Vibrat. August 27, 1998;215(4):595-611.
2002	Bovenzi M, Pinto I, Stacchini N. Low back pain in port machinery operators. J Sound Vibrat. May 23, 2002;253(1):3-20.
2005	Hoy J, Mubarak N, Nelson S, Sweerts de Landas M, Magnusson M, Okunribido O, Pope M. Whole body vibration and posture as risk factors for low back pain among forklift truck drivers. J Sound Vibrat. June 21, 2005;284(3-5):933-946.
1996	Bovenzi M. Low back pain disorders and exposure to whole-body vibration in the workplace. Semin Perinatol. February 1996;20(1):38-53.
1996	Magnusson ML, Pope MH, Wilder DG, Areskoug B. Are occupational drivers at an increased risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders? Spine. March 15, 1996;21(6):710-717.
2011	Arora N. Effect of Whole Body Vibration Exposure on the Spinal Muscle Reactions and Kinematic Responses in Sitting Posture [Master's thesis]. Sudbury, ON: Laurentian University; 2011.
2007	Bazrgari B. Biodynamic of the Human Spine [PhD thesis]. École polytechnique de Montréal; February 2007.
2011	Muir JW. Evaluating the Potential of Low Magnitude Mechanical Signals as a Means of Preserving Postural Control in the Aged and Disabled [PhD thesis]. Stony Brook, NY: Stony Brook University; August 2011.
2010	Harris MA. Evaluating Epidemiologic Associations Between Occupational Whole Body Vibration and Parkinson's Disease [PhD thesis]. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia; December 2010.
2011	Conrad LF. Whole-Body Vibration on Mobile Machines Within the Steel Making Industry: Assisting Industries With Proper Seat Selection to Retrofit Existing Machines [Master's thesis]. Guelph, ON: University of Guelph; January 2011.
2012	Jack RJ. Investigating Whole-Body Vibration Injuries in Forestry Skidder Operators: Combining Operator Vibration Exposures and Postures in the Field With Biodynamic Responses in the Laboratory [PhD thesis]. Guelph, ON: University of Guelph; January 2012.
2008	Slota GP. Effects of Seated Whole-Body Vibration on Spinal Stability Control [PhD thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; 2008.