Biomechanical analysis of lifting tasks in healthy and low back pain affected subjects

Low back pain is a disabling pathology to which several workers are exposed. Our study aimed at finding biomechanics driven biomarkers of incorrect lifting postures. For this reason two cohort of subjects were analysed (healthy and affected by low back pain) through plantar pressure, electromyography and motion capture systems while performing different lifting task from different heights and with different weights. Results indicate that the differences in both muscles activation and plantar pressure recorded on the pathological subjects may provide interesting insight in the analysis of the neuromotor control strategy adopted to stiffen the spine.