Biomechanical Assessment of the Emergency Medical Bag for Association of Municipal Emergency Services of Ontario

The purpose of the project is to perform a biomechanical evaluation of the bags, and lifting techniques that are preformed by paramedics on a daily basis. The intern will spend 1.5 months in Eastern Ontario, with approximately 2 weeks in the area surrounding Kingston interacting with and observing lifting techniques and conditions under which paramedics lift bags while on the job. These observations will direct a moked-up-in-lab investigation into the peak compressive, shear and cumulative forces played on the body while lifting medical bags. One of the test bags will be a medical backpack bag designed by Ostrom Outdoors Inc. Using different weights and lifting techniques, paramedics will be asked to complete a series of lifts which will allow a comparison of field results using 3DSSPP to a 3D hands-down inverse dynamic model. The results of this study will: provide insight into the actual task demands of medical bag lifting, determine if safe techniques and weights are used, and provide additional direction for selection criteria in the Physical Demands Evaluation. In addition to these tests, the Ostrom Outdoors medical bag will be modified based on objective and subjective comments and retested in an improved design. Additional time devoted to re-design and follow-up testing of the Ostrom Outdoors medical bag will require 1.5 months.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Patrick Costigan

Student:

Pete Galbraith

Partner:

Association of Municipal Emergency Medical Services of Ontario And Ostrom Outdoors

Discipline:

Kinesiology

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

Queen's University