腰背護具於下背傷害預防之適用性調查

Effectiveness of Back Belt in the Prevention of Lower Back Injuries

本研究的目的在探討腰背護具（腰帶）是否適合作為預防下背傷害的工具。本研究招募以物料搬運為主的受試者共計75 名，以問卷之方式進行調查。受試者以隨機之方式共分3 組，分別是控制組25 名（不使用腰帶），建議使用組25 名（提供腰帶但不強迫使用組），強迫使用組25 名（強迫使用腰帶組）。經過六個月的使用後，進行腰帶使用的效益追蹤與調查，回收共15 份的傷害回報資料中，包括了強制使用腰帶組的6 份、建議使用腰帶組的3 份，而不使用腰帶的控制組亦有6 份，並無充分證據證明使用腰帶後的人可避免下背傷害的事件。50 個發予腰帶的受試者中共有48 人再次接受體檢並回答問卷，其中有45 人主觀認為腰帶對於減少下背傷害發生機會有明顯的效果，但約僅有三分之一的受試人員因體認腰帶的功能而願意主動繫戴。造成如此低的繫戴率的主因在於：覺得穿戴腰帶會感覺悶熱，會壓迫腹部，長期繫戴腰帶的散熱與摩擦。本研究建議，不宜全然依賴腰帶避免下背傷害，而應積極推動人因工程現場改善以改變不良的作業條件。

This study evaluated the efficacy of a lifting belt in relation to the reduction of lower back injury rate over a six-month period. Seventy-five baggage handlers at an international airport participated in this study as subjects. Clin ical examination of the spine was provided before and after the study period. Based on the outcome of questionnaires and clinical examinations, 25 subjects were assigned to groups of receiving belt and wearing it all the time, 25 receiving the belt and not required to wear, and a control group of 25 subjects not wearing the belt. Results indicated that there were no significant differences in injury incident rate during the study period. 15 subjects experienced mild lower back pain. Among them, 6 responses were form the enforced group, 3 from the no enforced group, and 6 from the control group. There were, however, 8 lower back injury cases with 77 lost days, that were not included in the subject group. Only 3 subjects didn’t consider the belt with efficacy and only 1/3 of our subjects wore the belt throughout this period. Comments from the survey forms indicated that the belt was too hot. Similarly, few complained that the belt rubbed and pinched ribs. Based on the results, the belt cannot be recommended for use as a personnel protective device for lifting during daily work activities of baggage handlers. Ergonomic recommendations to improve the workplace were provided in the study as an additional preventive approach to reduce the lower back injuries.