University News Last updated 05 August 2011
A vibrating ‘suit’ that improves posture could help save the NHS millions of pounds a year lost due to staff back injuries.
The suit, which consists of sensors that are linked by cables is worn over the chest and monitors the position of the wearer. If the wearer moves into a position that could risk musculoskeletal injuries the sensors vibrate. The vibrations ‘tell’ the back muscles to return to the ‘neutral’ position - in a similar way that the bells in Pavlov’s famous experiment ‘told’ dogs to salivate.
The suit was developed at Birmingham City University by Stephen Wanless, who is a senior Academic and Patient Handling Lead in the Department of Skills and Simulation.
Correcting posture becomes a habit
The suit teaches the back muscles to habitually correct themselves, unlike conventional moving and handling training which relies on healthcare staff remembering techniques they were taught - it is estimated that each year taxpayers are footing a £400 million annual bill for NHS staff who have injured their backs at work (1).
Stephen who has worked at the university since 2004 teaches Healthcare students patient handling, and it was due to his job that he started to explore different methods of teaching people how to move patients. When he heard a motion capture suit had been developed, in the University’s Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD), that could incorporate vibrotactile feedback, he applied the device to moving and handling training.
Looking at the body in action
Stephen is conducting this research for his PhD and has received sponsorship from hospital bed manufacturer, Linet. The research does not look at the fundamental static positions in lying, sitting and standing and the variations of these positions but the dynamic postures of the body in motion or in action, because this is where posture becomes most important and most effective.
He said: “Patient handling is a skilled activity combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience, and poor technique can cause musculoskeletal injuries.
“Using the vibrating suit can help ‘teach’ not just students but existing NHS staff correct posture in order to avoid injury when moving patients – it’s a tool for changing behaviour. It’s not just healthcare workers who can benefit – this method of training could benefit builders, baggage handlers, office workers, hairdressers to mention a few professions.
“In general, our posture tends to be quite bad - many of us slouch on our sofas as we watch TV or whilst using computers. Research has shown that if we improved our posture we could gain in height, and women in particular could lose centimetres from their hips. Posture has a direct relation to the comfort, mechanical efficiency and physiologic functioning of the individual.”
1. According to the charity BackCare. Read more about this estimation on the National Health Executive and the Nursing Times websites.