Abstract
The current state of scientific knowledge of the biodynamic behaviour of the vertebral column under the influence of whole-body vibration whilst sitting and results from epidemiological studies caused the medical board of experts on occupational health of the Federal Ministry of Labour in Germany to add a new occupational disease to the official list of occupational diseases. The occupational disease “diseases of the lumbar spine from disc degeneration caused by long-term (mainly vertical) whole-body vibration exposure” has been introduced. The medical preconditions with the symptoms and the diagnostic methods are presented. With regard to the occupational preconditions for the acknowledgement of this occupational disease, a procedure is suggested which leads to the determination of the total occupational vibration exposure dose. Another requirement for recognition is that the chronic recurrent complaints have caused the patient to avoid any form of vibration exposure.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anon (1992 a) Zweite Verordnung zur Änderung der Berufskrankheiten-Verordnung vom 18.12.1992. Bundesgesetzblatt, Teil I, 59:2343–2344
Anon (1992 b) Merkblatt für die ärztliche Untersuchung zu Nr. 2110
Blüthner R, Hinz B, Seidel H, Erdmann U (1988) Zur Schätzung der auf die Lendenwirbelsäule bei Ganzkörpervibration wirkenden Kompressionskraft. In: Der Mensch unter Schwingungsverhalten. Report 12, Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR, Institut für Mechanik, pp 35–47
Bongers PM, Boshuizen H (1990) Back disorders and whole body vibration at work. Dissertation, University of Amsterdam
Brinckmann P, Biggemann M, Hillweg D (1988) Fatigue fracture of human lumbar vertebrae. Clin Biomechanics 1:1–23
Dupuis H (1989 a) Akute Wirkungen mechanischer Schwingungen. In: Konietzko J, Dupuis H (eds) Handbuch der Arbeitsmedizin. Ecomed, Landsberg, III-4.1, 1–11
Dupuis H (1989 b) Biodynamic behavior of the trunk and the abdomen during whole body vibration. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 33:34–38
Dupuis H (1992) Vibration exposure and back disorders. In: Fehr K, Krueger H (eds) Occupational musculoskeletal disorders: occurrence, prevention and therapy. Litera rheurnatologica 16. EULAR, Basel, pp 51–57
Dupuis H (1993) Erkrankungen durch Ganzkörper-Schwingungen. In: Konietzko J, Dupuis H (eds) Handbuch der Arbeitsmedizin. Ecomed, Landsberg, IV-3.5, 1–24
Dupuis H, Zerlett G (1986) The effects of whole body vibration. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Dupuis H, Zerlett G (1987) Whole body vibration and disorders of the spine. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 59:323–336
Dupuis H, Hartung E, Haverkamp M (1991) Acute effects of transient vertical whole body vibration. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 63:261–265
Griffin MJ (1990) Handbook of human vibration. Academic Press, San Diego
Hagena FW, Piehler J, Wirth CJ, Hofmann GO, Zwingers T (1986) The dynamic response of the human spine to sinusoidal Gz-vibration, in-vivo experiment. Neuro Orthopedics 2:29–33
Haverkamp M (1990) Effets “à court terme’ des vibrations verticales transmises à l'ensemble du corps de sujets assis lorsque ces vibrations comportent des transitoires. INRS, Cahiers de notes documentaires 140:531–536
Heide R (1978) Zur Wirkung langzeitiger beruflicher Ganzkörpervibrationsexposition. Dissertation, Berlin (East)
Hinz B, Seidel H (1987) The nonlinearity of the human body's dynamic response during sinusoidal whole body vibration. Ind Health 25:169–181
ILO (1980) Änderung der Liste der Berufskrankheiten im Übereinkommen (Nr. 121) über Leistungen bei Arbeitsunfällen und Berufskrankheiten. Int Arbeitskonferenz, 66th meeting, Geneva
Junghanns H (1979) Die Wirbelsäule in der Arbeitsmedizin. Hippokrates, Stuttgart, I 103–127, II 132–138 and 185–200
Krämer J (1986) Bandscheibenbedingte Erkrankungen; Ursachen, Diagnose, Behandlung, Vorbeugung und Begutachtung. Thieme, Stuttgart
Miyashita K, Morioka I, Tanabe T, Iwata H, Takeda S (1992) Symptoms of construction workers exposed to whole vibration and local vibration. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 64:347–351
Müsch FH (1987) Lumbale Bandscheibendegeneration bei Erdbaumaschinenfahrern mit langjähriger Ganzkörper-Vibrationsbelastung. Dissertation, University of Mainz
Sandover J (1983) Dynamic loading as a possible source of low back disorders. Spine 8:652–658
Sandover J, Dupuis H (1987) A reanalysis of spinal motion during vibration. Ergonomics 30:975–985
Seidel H, Heide R (1986) Long-term effects of whole-body vibration. A critical survey of the literature. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 58:1–29
Zerlett G (1992) Epidemiology of back problems caused by exposure to whole body vibration. In: Fehr K, Krueger H (eds) Occupational musculoskeletal disorders: occurrence, prevention and therapy. Litera rheumatologica 16. EULAR, Basel, pp 43–50
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dupuis, H. Medical and occupational preconditions for vibration-induced spinal disorders: occupational disease no. 2110 in Germany. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 66, 303–308 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378362
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378362