Manual lifting of loads arises in many occupations as well as in activities of daily living. Prior studies explore lifting biomechanics and conditions implicated in lifting-induced injuries through laboratory-based experimental methods. This study introduces a new measurement method using load-embedded inertial measurement units (IMUs) to evaluate lifting tasks in varied environments outside of the laboratory. An example vertical load lifting task is considered that is included in an outdoor obstacle course. The IMU data, in the form of the load acceleration and angular velocity, is used to estimate load vertical velocity and three lifting performance metrics: the lifting time (speed), power, and motion smoothness. Large qualitative differences in these parameters distinguish exemplar high and low performance trials. These differences are further supported by subsequent statistical analyses of twenty three trials (including a total of 115 total lift/lower cycles) from fourteen healthy participants. Results reveal that lifting time is strongly correlated with lifting power (as expected) but also correlated with motion smoothness. Thus, participants who lift rapidly do so with significantly greater power using motions that minimize motion jerk.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 5. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 16 April 2025.
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#7,548,642
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Outputs from Applied Ergonomics
#531
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Outputs of similar age
#112,642
of 349,197 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Applied Ergonomics
#13
of 38 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 27,630,097 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 72nd percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,765 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 9.9. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 69% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 349,197 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 67% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 38 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 65% of its contemporaries.
