Academic Journal
Associations of Low-Back Fatigue and Pain with Trunk Motor Variability in Repetitive Lifting: A Scoping Review.
| Τίτλος: | Associations of Low-Back Fatigue and Pain with Trunk Motor Variability in Repetitive Lifting: A Scoping Review. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Srinivasan D; Department of Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA., Shayan AM; Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA., Luger T; Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany., Mathiassen SE; Department of Occupational Health, Psychology and Sports Sciences, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden. |
| Πηγή: | IISE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors [IISE Trans Occup Ergon Hum Factors] 2026 Jul-Sep; Vol. 14 (3), pp. 215-238. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jan 23. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Scoping Review; Review |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101738444 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2472-5846 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 24725838 NLM ISO Abbreviation: IISE Trans Occup Ergon Hum Factors Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: [London] : Taylor & Francis Group, [2017]- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Low Back Pain*/etiology , Low Back Pain*/physiopathology , Lifting*/adverse effects , Occupational Diseases*/etiology , Occupational Diseases*/physiopathology , Torso*/physiopathology , Torso*/physiology, Cumulative Trauma Disorders/physiopathology ; Muscle Fatigue/physiology ; Humans ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Risk Factors |
| Περίληψη: | OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSRepetitive lifting is a major occupational risk factor for developing low back fatigue and pain. This review aimed to identify and summarize the available evidence on how trunk motor variability (MV) may serve both as a predictor of susceptibility to fatigue/pain as well as a response to fatigue/pain during repetitive lifting tasks. Higher MV may protect workers by distributing loads and preventing overuse of the same tissues, potentially reducing the incidence or severity of fatigue/pain. However, findings also indicate that the relationship between MV, fatigue, and pain is complex, with the direction of MV changing depending on task demands, pain chronicity, and adaptation. Future work should aim to understand and monitor MV in the workplace to inform interventions for injury prevention. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Spinal movement; chronic pain; kinematic variability; muscle recruitment; neuromuscular control Local Abstract: [plain-language-summary] Background: Trunk motor variability (MV) is key to understanding the development of fatigue and low-back pain (LBP) in repetitive lifting, since it addresses the versatility of neuromuscular control of the multiple vertebral segments and thus the action of numerous muscles working actively together. Our goal in this scoping review was to clarify the predictive and reactive properties of trunk motor variability in occupational lifting, to inform future research and practical interventions for preventing and managing low-back issues among manual workers.Methods: We searched for full-length original articles written in English from the following three databases: MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search terms were structured to capture lifting, trunk, motor variability, fatigue and LBP.Results: Sixteen studies were identified, covering both predictive associations (i.e., whether baseline differences in MV predict fatigue or pain), and reactive associations (i.e., how MV differs due to experimentally induced fatigue or the presence of pain). Most studies assessed kinematic MV (trunk angles, coordination) and a smaller subset examined kinetic variability using muscle activity measured through metrics derived from electromyography. The predictive evidence, albeit from only one study, indicates that greater baseline MV is correlated with increased lifting endurance. As a reactive variable, MV increases with acute fatigue, while chronic pain tends to reduce MV or alter its complexity and structure. Diverse methods to quantify MV limited direct comparisons between several studies.Discussion: Associations between trunk MV and fatigue/pain were in accordance with results from both isometric exercise and dynamic tasks involving other body regions, such as the upper and lower extremities. However, the generalizability of the fatigue-pain-MV associations to occupational settings is questionable given the current evidence, since the reviewed studies involved small samples of individuals performing controlled lifting tasks in laboratory environments. |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260123 Date Completed: 20260619 Latest Revision: 20260629 |
| Update Code: | 20260629 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/24725838.2026.2616635 |
| PMID: | 41575293 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 2472-5846 |
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| DOI: | 10.1080/24725838.2026.2616635 |