Resuscitation
Volume 80, Issue 10 , Pages 1181-1186, October 2009

Mechanical loading of the low back during cardiopulmonary resuscitation☆

  • Jui-Yi Tsou

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan
    • Department of Physical Therapy, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chih-Hsien Chi

      Affiliations

    • Department of Emergency Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Rebekah Min-Fang Hsu

      Affiliations

    • School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hui-Fen Wu

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Therapy, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Fong-Chin Su

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +886 6 2760665; fax: +886 6 2343270.

Received 22 February 2009; received in revised form 26 May 2009; accepted 18 June 2009. published online 27 July 2009.

Abstract 

Aim

Back pain is often seen in professional rescuers after carrying out resuscitation. Back loading is known to be affected by the working surface height, but the relationship between the surface height and back loading during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine how back loading changes in response to CPR posture and surface height.

Methods

Twenty-two experienced professional rescuers performed CPR using three surface heights; the floor (F), a table at a height of 63cm (HT) and one at a height of 37cm (LT).

Results

The mean and maximal low back moment and compression force at HT were significantly smaller than those at LT and F.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the HT task of chest compression produces the lowest low back moment and compression force. Thus, HT positioning may decrease the probability of low back pain and is suggested to be optimal height for inexperienced resuscitators, those with back injury, or those requiring a long operating duration.

Keywords: CPR, Chest compression, CPR posture, Working surface height, Low back pain, Spine biomechanics

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☆ A Spanish translated version of the abstract of this article appears as Appendix in the final online version at doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2009.06.025.

PII: S0300-9572(09)00359-1

doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2009.06.025

Resuscitation
Volume 80, Issue 10 , Pages 1181-1186, October 2009

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