A survey of physical and occupational therapists' views on lumbar loading movements.
Yuta Zenmyou, Kei Kawakami, Masaki Goto and 5 others
PMID 36213190WHAT IT FOUND
Physical and occupational therapists in Japan most often listed lifting heavy objects while bending forward, trunk rotation, and holding heavy objects while standing as lumbar-loading.
Grabbing high places and picking up floor items were also common.
Key findings
01Lifting heavy objects in the trunk-flexion position was the most frequently listed movement, with 354 participants reported as 15.5%.
02Trunk rotation was the second most frequently listed movement, with 104 participants reported as 4.6%.
03Everyday reaching and floor tasks were also named, including grabbing objects from high places (65 participants) and picking up objects from the floor (59 participants).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study reports what therapists believed, not what load the movements actually placed on the lumbar spine. It did not test patient outcomes, pain, injury, or whether instruction changed anything. The paper does not report how many therapists were invited or the response rate. The sample was limited to physical and occupational therapists in Japan, so it may not match views in other countries or settings. The percentages are reported without a clear denominator in the text, so the response counts are easier to interpret.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that these movements cause low-back pain or that avoiding them prevents pain. The survey recorded therapists' opinions about lumbar loading, not measured spinal load or patient outcomes.