Expert says, 'Not so fast' on UCLA conclusions
Expert says, Not so fast’ on UCLA conclusions
Jim Fox, MS, a research engineer at the University of Vermont’s Vermont Back Research Center in Burlington, is not ready to recommend that every worker run out and buy a back support belt. In fact, he’d like to see a lot more data before concluding that the devices actually prevent back injuries.
"We should not interpret the study as a green light to use these belts to prevent injuries," he warns. "There are still a lot of data that need to be sorted out."
For example, he notes, many of the Home Depot employees in the UCLA study were new employees who were put through a training program before going onto the floor. "It’s not clear which had the greatest effect in preventing injury, and it’s not easy to get an answer to that question," he says. "And with such a large number of employees, proper control is a huge issue."
While the belts cannot cause any harm, an unsubstantiated belief in their effectiveness might, he warns. "If you rely on the belt to prevent injury, as opposed to proper lifting techniques, that may cause harm," he says.
While he admits the UCLA study "carries a lot of weight" by virtue of its sheer size, he says the results need to be interpreted with caution. The bottom line on whether back supports prevent injury? "It’s still an open question, as far as I’m concerned," says Fox.
[Editor’s Note: For more information about back injury prevention, contact: Jim Fox, Vermont Back Research Center, University of Vermont, One South Prospect Street, Burlington, VT 05401. Telephone: (800) 572-7320. Fax: (802) 660-9243. E-mail: [email protected]. Internet: http://salus.med.uvm.edu/~backtalk.]
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