Abstract
Introduction This study aimed to identify any correlation between muscle activity using surface electromyography (SEMG) and therapist determined safe maximal lift (SML) during the bench to shoulder lift of the WorkHab FCE. This would support construct (convergent) validity of SML determination in the WorkHab FCE. Method An experimental laboratory based study design was used. Twenty healthy volunteers performed the bench to shoulder lift of the WorkHab FCE whilst SEMG of upper trapezius, mid deltoid, thoracic, brachioradialis and bicep muscles were recorded. A summary of the data is presented using descriptive statistics and differences between groups were tested using generalised linear mixed models. Results Results showed a significant difference in activity and duration of muscle activation with increasing weight lifted [p = 0.000 and p = 0.024 (brachioradialis)]. There was a significant difference between the up lift (bench to shoulder) and the down lift (shoulder to bench) for all muscles (p = 0.000) except the brachioradialis (p = 0.819). No significant change was found in muscle activity before or after the SML. Conclusion Convergent validity of the bench to shoulder lift of the WorkHab FCE was not established as no relationship between the muscle recruitment using SEMG and SML, as determined by therapist observation was identified during this lift.
References
Soer R, van der Schans C, Groothoff J, Geertzen J, Reneman M. Towards consensus in operational definitions in functional capacity evaluation: a delphi survey. J Occup Rehabil. 2008;18(4):389–400.
King P, Tuckwell N, Barrett T. A critical review of functional capacity evaluations. Phys Ther. 1998;78(8):852.
Gouttebarge V, Wind H, Kuijer P, Sluiter J, Frings-Dresen M. Reliability and agreement of 5 Ergo-kit functional capacity evaluation lifting tests in subjects with low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2006;87(10):1365–70. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2006.05.028.
Gross D, Battie M, Asante A. Evaluation of a short form functional capacity evaluation: less maybe best. J Occup Rehabil. 2007;17(3):422–35.
Lee G, Chan C, Hui-Chan C. Work profile and functional capacity of formwork carpenters at construction sites. Disabil Rehabil. 2001;23(1):9–14.
Schonstein E, Kenny D. The value of functional and work place assessments in achieving a timely return to work for workers with back pain. Work. 2001;16(1):31–8.
Strong S, Baptiste S, Clarke J, Costa M. Use of functional capacity evaluations in workplaces and the compensation system: a report on workers’ and users’ perceptions. Work. 2004;23(1):67–77.
Innes E. Reliability and validity of functional capacity evaluations: an update. Int J Disab Manag Res. 2006;1(1):135–48.
Cotton A, Schonstein E, Adams R. Use of functional capacity evaluations by rehabilitation providers in NSW. Work. 2006;26(3):287–95.
Deen M, Gibson L, Strong J. A survey of occupational therapy in Australian work practice. Work. 2002;19(3):219–30.
Innes E, Straker L. Workplace assessments and functional capacity evaluations: current practices of therapists in Australia. Work. 2002;18(1):51–66.
Isernhagen S. Functional capacity testing:what’s new? what’s different. Interdiscip J Rehabil. 2009; June: 20–3.
James C, Mackenzie L. Health professional’s perceptions and practices in relation to functional capacity evaluations: results of a quantitative survey. J Occup Rehabil. 2009;19(2):203–11. doi:10.1007/s10926-009-9174-3.
James C, Mackenzie L. The clinical utility of functional capacity evaluations: the opinion of health professionals working within occupational rehabilitation. Work. 2009;33(3):231–9. doi:10.3233/WOR-2009-0871.
Scholz JP, Millford JP, McMillan AG. Neuromuscular coordination of squat lifting, I: effect of load magnitude. Phys Ther. 1995;75(2):119–32.
Elfeituri FE. A biomechanical analysis of manual lifting tasks performed in restricted workspaces. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2001;7(3):333–46.
Marras WS, Ferguson SA, Burr D, Davis KG, Gupta P. Functional impairment as a predictor of spine loading. Spine. 2005;30(7):729–37.
Scholz JP, McMillan AG. Neuromuscular coordination of squat lifting, II: individual differences. Phys Ther. 1995;75(2):133–44.
Manning DP, Shannon HS. Slipping accidents causing low-back pain in a gearbox factory. Spine. 1981;6(1):70–2.
Wrigley AT, Albert WJ, Deluzio KJ, Stevenson JM. Differentiating lifting technique between those who develop low back pain and those who do not. Clin Biomech. 2005;20(3):254–63.
Abdel-Moty E, Fishbain D, Khalil T, Sadek S, Cutler R, Steele-Rosomoff R, et al. Functional capacity and residual functional capacity and their utility in measuring work capacity. Clin J Pain. 1993;9(3):168–73.
Gibson L, Strong J. A review of functional capacity evaluation practice. Work. 1997;9(1):3–11.
Mitchell T. Utilization of the functional capacity evaluation in vocational rehabilitation. J Vocat Rehabil. 2008;28(1):21–8.
Isernhagen S. Functional capacity evaluation:rationale, procedure, utility of the kinesiophysical approach. J Occup Rehabil. 1992;2(3):157–68.
James C, Mackenzie L, Higginbotham N. Health professionals’ attitudes and practices in relation to functional capacity evaluations. Work. 2007;29(2):81–8.
Bradbury S, Roberts D. Workhab functional capacity evaluation procedural manual WorkHab Australia; 1998.
Cram J, Kasman G, Holtz J. Introduction to surface electromyography. Maryland: Aspen; 1998.
Cook C, Burgess-Limerick R, Papalia S. The effect of upper extremity support on upper extremity posture and muscle activity during keyboard use. Appl Ergon. 2004;35(3):285–92.
Hansson G, Nordander C, Asterland P, Ohlsson K, Strömberg U, Skerfving S, et al. Sensitivity of trapezius electromyography to differences between work tasks—influence of gap definition and normalisation methods. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2000;10(2):103–15.
Laursen B, Søgaard K, Sjøgaard G. Biomechanical model predicting electromyographic activity in three shoulder muscles from 3D kinematics and external forces during cleaning work. Clin Biomech. 2003;18(4):287–95.
Davis KG, Jorgensen MJ, Marras WS. An investigation of perceived exertion via whole body exertion and direct muscle force indicators during the determination of the maximum acceptable weight of lift. Ergonomics. 2000;43(2):143–59.
Granström B, Kvarnström S, Tiefenbacher F. Electromyography as an aid in the prevention of excessive shoulder strain. Appl Ergon. 1985;16(1):49–54.
Jensen C, Finsen L, Hansen K, Christensen H. Upper trapezius muscle activity patterns during repetitive manual material handling and work with a computer mouse. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 1999;9(5):317–25.
Gouttebarge V, Wind H, Kuijer P, Frings-Dresen M. Reliability and validity of functional capacity evaluation methods: a systematic review with reference to Blankenship, Ergos work simulator, Ergo-Kit and Isernhagen work system. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2004;77(8):527–37.
Gross D, Battie M. The prognostic value of functional capacity evaluation in patients with chronic low back pain: part 2: sustained recovery. Spine. 2004;29(8):920–4.
Innes E, Straker L. Reliability of work-related assessments. Work. 1999;13(2):107–24.
Innes E, Straker L. Validity of work-related assessments. Work. 1999;13(2):125–52.
Portney L, Watkins M. Foundations of clinical research: applications to practice. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall; 2009.
Holtgrefe K, Glenn T. Principles of aerobic exercise. In: Kisner C, Colby L, editors. Therapeutic exercise: foundations and techniques. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis; 2007. p. 231–49.
Powell RA, Single HM. Focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care. 1996;8(5):499–504.
Kitzinger J. The methodology of focus groups: the importance of interaction between research participants. Sociol Health Illn. 1994;16(1):103–21. doi:10.1111/1467-9566.ep11347023.
Gibson L, Strong J. Expert review of an approach to functional capacity evaluation. Work. 2002;19(3):231–42.
StataCorp. Stata statistical software: version 11.1. College Station, TX. 11.1 ed 2009.
Cole M, Grimshaw P, Burden A. Loads on the lumbar spine during a work capacity assessment test. Work. 2004;23(2):169–78.
McBride JM, Larkin TR, Dayne AM, Haines TL, Kirby TJ. Effect of absolute and relative loading on muscle activity during stable and unstable squatting. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2010;5(2):177–83.
Robertson DG, Wilson JM, St Pierre TA. Lower extremity muscle functions during full squats. J Appl Biomech. 2008;24(4):333–9.
Cifrek M, Medved V, Tonkovic S, Ostojic S. Surface EMG based muscle fatigue evaluation in biomechanics. Clinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon). 2009;24(4):327–40.
Bosch T, de Looze MP, Kingma I, Visser B, van Dieën JH. Electromyographical manifestations of muscle fatigue during different levels of simulated light manual assembly work. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2009;19(4):e246–56.
Huysmans MA, Hoozemans MJM, van der Beek AJ, de Looze MP, van Dieën JH. Fatigue effects on tracking performance and muscle activity. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2008;18(3):410–9.
Roy SH, Bonato P, Knaflitz M. EMG assessment of back muscle function during cyclical lifting. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 1998;8(4):233–45.
Arjmand N, Shirazi-Adl A. Biomechanics of changes in lumbar posture in static lifting. Spine. 2005;30(23):2637–48.
Nielsen PK, Andersen L, Jørgensen K. The muscular load on the lower back and shoulders due to lifting at different lifting heights and frequencies. Appl Ergon. 1998;29(6):445–50.
Marras WS, Granata KP, Davis KG, Allread WG, Jorgensen MJ. Effects of box features on spine loading during warehouse order selecting. Ergonomics. 1999;42(7):980–96.
NSW Workers Compensation Act (1987). http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fullhtml/inforce/act+70+1987+FIRST+0+N?#pt.3-div.2-sec.40a.
Fuller JR, Lomond KV, Fung J, Côté JN. Posture-movement changes following repetitive motion-induced shoulder muscle fatigue. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2009;19(6):1043–52. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2008.10.009.
Gatchel RJ, Ricard MD, Choksi DN, Mayank J, Howard K. The comprehensive muscular activity profile (CMAP): its high sensitivity, specificity and overall classification rate for detecting submaximal effort on functional capacity testing. J Occup Rehabil. 2009;19(1):49–55.
Lemstra M, Olszynski W, Enright W. The sensitivity and specificity of functional capacity evaluations in determining maximal effort: a randomized trial. Spine. 2004;29(9):953–9.
Snook SH, Ciriello VM. The design of manual handling tasks: revised tables of maximum acceptable weights and forces. Ergonomics. 1991;34(9):1197–213.
Konz S. NIOSH lifting guidelines. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1982;43(12):931–3.
Kuijer W, Dijkstra P, Brouwer S, Reneman M, Groothoff J, Geertzen J. Safe lifting in patients with chronic low back pain: comparing FCE lifting task and Niosh lifting guideline. J Occup Rehabil. 2006;16(4):579–89. doi:10.1007/s10926-005-9010-3.
Gross D, Battie M. Reliability of safe maximum lifting determinations of a functional capacity evaluation. Phys Ther. 2002;82(4):364–72.
Gardener L, McKenna K. Reliability of occupational therapists in determining safe, maximal lifting capacity. Aust Occup Ther J. 1999;46(3):110–9. doi:10.1046/j.1440-1630.1999.00184.x.
Gibson L, Strong J. Safety issues in functional capacity evalutaion: findings from a trial of a new approach for evaluating clients with chronic back pain. J Occup Rehabil. 2005;15(2):237–51. doi:10.1007/s10926-005-1222-z.
Isernhagen SJ, Hart DL, Matheson LM. Reliability of independent observer judgments of level of lift effort in a kinesiophysical functional capacity evaluation. Work. 1999;12(2):145–50.
Reneman M, Jaegar S, Westmaas M, Goeken L. The reliability of determining effort level of lifting and carrying in a functional capacity evaluation. Work. 2002;18(1):23–7.
James C, Mackenzie L, Capra M. Test–retest reliability of the manual handling component of the WorkHab functional capacity evaluation in healthy adults. Disabil Rehabil. 2010;32(22):1863–9. doi:10.3109/09638281003734466.
Matheson LN, Leggett S, Mooney V, Schneider K, Mayer J. The contribution of aerobic fitness and back strength to lift capacity. Spine. 2002;27(11):1208–12.
Schenk P, Klipstein A, Spillmann S, Stroyer J, Laubli T. The role of back muscle endurance, maximum force, balance and trunk rotation control regarding lifting capacity. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006;96(2):146–56. doi:10.1007/s00421-004-1262-7.
Soderberg GL, Knutson LM. A guide for use and interpretation of kinesiologic electromyographic data. Phys Ther. 2000;80(5):485–98.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the individuals who volunteered to participate in this study and WorkHab Australia who donated the equipment to complete the study. This study was made possible with the support of a University of Newcastle Equity Fellowship grant (No.: GO189367).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
James, C., Mackenzie, L. & Capra, M. Quantification of the Safe Maximal Lift in Functional Capacity Evaluations: Comparison of Muscle Recruitment Using SEMG and Therapist Observation. J Occup Rehabil 23, 419–427 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-012-9407-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-012-9407-8