A systematic solution to low back pain: Design of a revised step machine to provide hamspring exercises to reduce acute low back pain.
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Date
2022-09-09Author
Nambalirwa, Aidah
Oloya, James
Kazibwe, Abudallah
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Show full item recordAbstract
On 26th/October/2020, we started our design journey. On this same day, we went to two hospitals
i.e. Lubaga hospital, and Kawempe National Referral hospital where we did our needs finding and
assessed their needs basing on their feedback. Through all these activities, we came up with a problem
of low back pain among nurses. We carried out a series of research and later changed our problem from
low back pain among nurses to low back pain. This is a musculoskeletal disorder condition that is
associated with the lumbar region of the back. Strains occur when a muscle is overworked or weak,
and ligament sprain. Ligaments connect the spinal vertebrae and provide stability for the low back.
They can be injured by a sudden, forceful movement or prolonged stress. The lifetime prevalence of
low back pain is reported to be as high as 84%, and the prevalence of chronic low back pain is about
23%, with 11–12% of the population being disabled by low back pain. Unless there is physical damage
on any part of the lumbar region, the revised step machine provides an exercise to the entire body which
repeatedly creates a reasonable (non-destructing) stress and strain on the lumbar vertebra. It’s this
stress and strain that gradually relieves the vertebrae of the compression force thus vertebrae and the
nerves regain their normal anatomical position. Nerve destruction is removed and so is the low back
pain.
This report is structured in five sections, with section one expounding on the activities we carried
out in both design one and two which include needs finding, needs selection, concept generation and
concept selection. Section Two comprises how we came up with the solution basing on user preferences
that we found out through research methods like interviews, surveys, observations and so on from
areas where the problem selected affects more people. It also points and explains user preferences both
on user and other stakeholders-basis. Additionally, it also relates the preferences to corresponding
engineering specifications. Section three elaborates on material selection, engineering analysis, and
device description. Section four elaborates on the different test protocols performed on the ReSM
device. Section five explains the redesigning process of ReSM