Colloquia

Summary

Nursing belongs to the high-risk occupations in terms of low back pain (LBP). The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among nurses worldwide, of which LBP is the most common form, is estimated to be 40% to 90%. Current solutions are not supported by compelling evidence. Lumbosacral orthoses, designed to provide continuous compression to the lumbar region, have shown limited effectiveness for the prevention and treatment of low back pain. This thesis presents the design of a smart lumbosacral orthosis, hypothesized to prevent lower back pain for nurses. A functional prototype of the design was manufactured and preliminary tests were performed. Future work will bring the prototype into the hands of early adopters to seek out its desirability and potential.