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As an additional step in evaluating the new system, Dr. Karl Saunders, an orthopedic surgeon and president of Saunix, Inc., a consulting firm, conducted an evaluation of the system and analyzed the types of medical risks that were avoided through the installation at Imperial Bedding. Dr. Saunders rendered his medical opinion on these matters:
Acute, chronic and repetitive musculoskeletal injuries are major causes of absenteeism and worker's compensation claims. Low back pain, as an example is one of the most common presenting complaints seen in physicians' offices. The overall cost of musculoskeletal injury to employers, employees, and their families, and to society in general, is staggering. Handling, loading, and stacking mattresses pose particular challenges to the human musculoskeletal system. Mattresses, which vary in reported weights up to 200 pounds, are bulky, slippery, difficult to control and have no effective handles for lifting, once wrapped for shipment. Some enclosed truck areas even require a worker to stand on a ladder with the mattress held overhead in order to add it to a stack.
Many human structures are placed at risk in this type of work. The lower back is particularly prone to sprains and strains. Such injuries often result in lost work days and workers' compensation claims. However, much more serious effects from over-use and over-stress injuries can occur. These can be the result of cumulative stress as well as acute injury.
Large compressive stresses can occur on the disk structures in the lower back, leading to swollen disks and potential disk rupture. The L5-S1 disk space at the lower lumbar spine is especially at risk.
Symptoms may vary from mild low back and leg pain to severe incapacitating back and leg pain, weakness and numbness. In severe cases, profound motor weakness can occur and be accompanied by loss of bowel and bladder control.
Additional stresses from sudden or cumulative trauma occur to the lower, mid and upper back as well as the neck area. In addition to compressive stresses, tension, lateral bending and torsional stresses can occur. The small facet joints of the spine may become inflamed and later degenerate. Further wear changes with narrowing of disk spaces, formation of bone spurs, and compression of nerve structures can occur. Underlying conditions such as lumbar spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis or osteoarthritis, previously without symptoms, may become symptomatic after heavy repeated stresses, such as occur with the loading of mattresses.
In addition, lifting mattresses to overhead positions transmits significant stresses to the shoulders, elbows and wrists. The shoulder rotator cuff tendon complex can be stretched or torn over time with repetitive stresses. Bursitis, tendonitis and impingement syndrome all can be caused or aggravated by repeated heavy overhead lifting. The lateral and medical aspects of the elbow are frequent sites of tendonitis and strain to the extensor and flexor muscle groups. In addition, lifting mattresses overhead may place the wrists in a full dorsiflexed position, stressing the wrist flexor tendons. Wrist pain, strain, tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome can be seen in these instances, especially over time.
The lower extremity area is not immune from these forces either. Overloading the groin and lower abdominal fascia can lead to inguinal hernia formation. Knee and hip area pain may occur. Heavy lifting, especially with knee flexion and extension as is seen with squatting down or step climbing, is frequently associated with patellofemoral knee joint pain. Injury, even in the worker who continues his or her employment, can lead to decreased productivity, loss of focus on the job, fatigue and job dissatisfaction.
Prevention is obviously the best approach to all of these described conditions. Once injury occurs, recovery can vary greatly. Some patients recover quickly, but many do not. Many become involved with the workers' compensation system, and incentives encouraging the patient to return to work vary. Many of these conditions lead to long-term subjective symptoms that may be difficult to refute. Other patients unfortunately develop subjective and objective signs and symptoms of injury that can lead in some instances to long-term or permanent functional impairment.
An engineering solution to help minimize these stresses to the musculoskeletal system should be encouraged. Prevention of injury is not only in the employees' and employers' best interests, but should be cost-effective in the long-run.
A Case Study of Imperial Bedding
1. Abstract - Intro
2. Interim Administration Program
3. The Adjustoveyor
4. The S-Five System
5. Comparison of the S-Five Method with
Previous Method
6. Medical Review
7. Imperial Bedding Personnel
Perspectives
9. Stewart Glapat Perspective
10. Summary - By Ron Rowe
11. SV (s-five) system layouts
