A Comparison of Augmented Feedback and Didactic Approaches to Reduce Spine Motion During Box and Paramedic Lifting Tasks

Injury prevention movement (re)training (MR) for paramedics may be improved if they were guided by biomechanical and motor learning principles. The purpose was to compare MR approaches – didactic (DID) and augmented feedback (AUG) – in reducing spine motion during lifting tasks. Untrained participants (n=26) began with a lifting test (box, medication bag, and backboard), followed by their randomly-assigned intervention involving 50 practice lifts. The DID group began with a safe lifting presentation, whereas the AUG group was coached with augmented feedback. The lifting test was performed immediately and one-week after, while spine kinematics were quantified. After one week, AUG was strictly superior to DID in reducing spine motion in the retention task but was equivalent or superior for the transfer tasks. An AUG approach to MR is supported over didactic approaches to elicit lasting changes in practiced tasks, but more training is likely required to ensure transfer to unrehearsed tasks.M.Sc