LifeMOD and NIOSH Studying the injury potential of a human on stilts
Client:
NIOSH
Business:
Prevention of work-related injuries
Challenge:
As part of the CDC, NIOSH (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), is responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illnesses and injuries.
Stilts are elevating tools frequently used by construction workers to raise themselves 18 to 40 inches above the ground without the burden of erecting scaffolding or a ladder. Some previous studies indicate that construction workers perceive an increased risk of injury when working on stilts. Walking on stilts has raised a number of concerns in the construction industry including slipping, tripping and falling. These concerns have led researchers to look into the design safety of stilts.
Do stilts pose an unnecessary risk to construction workers? Do stilts contribute to any chronic injuries and lead to long-term medical problems?
Stilts are elevating tools frequently used by construction workers to raise themselves 18 to 40 inches above the ground without the burden of erecting scaffolding or a ladder. Some previous studies indicate that construction workers perceive an increased risk of injury when working on stilts. Walking on stilts has raised a number of concerns in the construction industry including slipping, tripping and falling. These concerns have led researchers to look into the design safety of stilts.
Do stilts pose an unnecessary risk to construction workers? Do stilts contribute to any chronic injuries and lead to long-term medical problems?
Solution:
Three human volunteers walked with stilts while the motion of their body segments was recorded using motion capture equipment. LifeMOD musculoskeletal human models were created for the test subjects using specific body measurements and LifeMOD’s library of bone and muscle parameters. Mechanical systems for each stilt were conjoined to the lower legs of the model. The models were completed with a spring damper system tuned to the performance of the physical mechanism. The recorded motion from the human experiments was used to drive the human model to generate the muscle forces and reactions, which were then used to drive the model independently of the recorded motion input.
The model was validated using the recorded motion and by comparing the ground reaction forces generated in the model to those in the experiment. The LifeMOD model of a person walking on stilts was within acceptable correlation with experiment for three different test subjects.
The model was validated using the recorded motion and by comparing the ground reaction forces generated in the model to those in the experiment. The LifeMOD model of a person walking on stilts was within acceptable correlation with experiment for three different test subjects.
Value:
Using this type of evaluated model of a person walking on stilts, researchers are able to further examine whether stilt walking will result in an increase in joint loading of the legs or back. The model also provides a useful tool to evaluate slips, falls, sudden stops and starts, and tripping hazards associated with the use of stilts.
See newsletter for more details.
See newsletter for more details.