Webinar description
This session will feature a joint presentation by two CRE-MSD researchers: Dr. Tilak Dutta, Scientist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and University Health Network, and Dr. Mike Holmes, Canada Research Chair in Neuromuscular Mechanics and Ergonomics at Brock University.
Dr. Dutta will review two prototype smartphone apps (SafeBack and PostureCoach) that were designed to get healthcare workers to adopt safer patterns of movement to reduce their risk of back injury. SafeBack lets the user evaluate a worker's posture by posing a virtual skeleton in the app. SafeBack is designed for use in a classroom environment with the goal of teaching healthcare workers that small changes in posture can make a big difference in risk of back injury. PostureCoach, on the other hand, is designed for use in the field. The app connects wirelessly to two wearable sensors to vibrate gently when excessive spine flexion is detected. We will describe the results of pilot evaluations done using both apps and discuss possible improvements to make them each more effective.
Dr. Holmes collaborated with Dr. Dutta’s team and recently completed a CRE-MSD funded project using PostureCoach. Dr. Holmes’ team implemented a posture coaching and verbal feedback intervention to evaluate patient handling activities in a student nurse population. The aim was to provide a feedback intervention that could be implemented in student curriculum to educate student trainees on safe lifting practices. Dr. Holmes will comment on PostureCoach measurement accuracy relative to a gold standard motion capture system and present results from the PostureCoach feedback intervention study with student nurses.
This is a free webinar offered through the client/patient handling community of practice (CoP), presented in partnership with CRE-MSD and PSHSA.
About the presenters
Dr. Tilak Dutta is a Scientist at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (TRI) and leads the Home and Community Team. He completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2012 at the University of Toronto focused on preventing back injury in caregivers and received funding from the WSIB to produce a set of videos for caregivers to update their training with current understanding of the causes of back injury. He is listed as an inventor on several patents including SlingSerter.
Dr. Michael Holmes is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University where he holds a Canada Research Chair in Neuromuscular Mechanics and Ergonomics.
Mike completed his undergraduate and masters degrees at Memorial University, a PhD from McMaster University, and he was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Waterloo. He spent four years at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology before joining Brock University in 2016.
The Holmes Lab integrates biomechanics (electromyography, motion capture), neurophysiology (electrical stimulation) and robotics to better understand muscle recruitment, fatigue and injury.
Webinar resources
Tilak Dutta webinar slide presentation (PDF)
Michael Holmes webinar slide presentation (PDF)
For assistance, contact Betina Butler at bbutler@uwaterloo.ca.
Disclaimer: The Centre receives funding through a grant provided by the Ontario Ministry of Labour. The views expressed are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre nor of the Province.