Improving the Health of Movers through Abdominal Strengthening,

Lifting Mechanics, Stretching and Nutritional Changes

Rachael Ballenger (rachaelballenger@suumail.net) William Heyborne (williamheyborne@suu.edu)
College of Science and Engineering - Southern Utah University

Introduction
The moving industry is a physically demanding field of work, naturally taking a toll on the body. The conditions these employees work under exacerbates
damage to the body and does not allow them to work at their optimum. These conditions include working long days, lifting heavy furniture and other
household goods, and poor access to healthy foods due to accessibility associated with large trucks and limited food options at truck stops. The
objective of this study was to test ways to improve the health of movers, including increased strength, decreased pain, and improved diet and sleep.
Participants were surveyed before the intervention, asked to perform lifestyle changes for 6-8 weeks, and were then surveyed post-intervention. The
results are detailed below.
Results Post-intervention
Questions
Results Pre-intervention
1. Did the movers feel a decrease in pain due to
1) Will a focus on lifting mechanics impact muscle 1) 64% of surveyed movers consciously
a focus on proper lifting mechanics?
health?
focus on lifting mechanics while working.
50% of movers reported a decrease in pain. 50%
2) What are the most beneficial abdominal
The other 36% said that mechanics come
reported no change, but were already focusing on
exercises to lessen the pain on the lower back?
naturally from muscle memory.
proper mechanics.
3) How much positive change is felt from
2) 78% of movers surveyed said that
2a. What was the most beneficial abdominal
stretching? When is stretching the most
their lower back hurts the most (as
exercise for decreasing lower back pain?
beneficial?
compared to other regions of the back)
50% of movers reported the plank to be most effective
4) Will the quality of sleep improve after
after working (Fig. 1).
2b. Did back pain of the movers decrease after
intervention?
3a) Of the movers surveyed; on average
intervention?
5) Can energy levelsMethods
and stamina be increased by a driver pulls over every 4 hours.
After the intervention, movers reported an average
making
simple
dietary changes?
3b) On average, drivers travel 854.5
- Fourteen
participants
from a single moving
decrease in back pain (on a 10 point scale) of one
miles per week during the busy season
company were surveyed prior to intervention
point.
(June-October).
- Interventions focused on three areas:
3a. How often did the movers stretch?
4) On a scale from 1-10 (1 being poor
abdominal strengthening and proper lifting
On average, movers stopped to stretch every 4-5
and 10 being excellent) movers reported
mechanics, stretching, and nutrition
hours when driving. Additionally, 75% of movers also
an average sleep quality of 6.5 while on
- Interventions were designed under the
stretched on their lunch break during work days.
the road.
guidance of a nutritionist and an exercise
3b. Did muscle soreness decrease after the
5) Out of fast food, sit-down restaurants,
physiologist
intervention?
and packing their own meals, 29% of
- Participants completed the proscribed
After the intervention, movers reported an average
drivers choose fast food as their first
program in each area for two weeks
decrease in muscle soreness (on a 10 point scale) of
choice.
- Following the two week intervention a followone point.
up survey was given, specific to each
4. Did the movers quality of sleep improve?
intervention
The intervention was not correlated with an increased
- Abdominal strengthening and proper lifting
sleep quality. However, most movers blamed their
mechanics: The goal of this section was to
poor sleep quality on extrinsic factors such as traffic
decrease back pain, especially in the lumbar
sounds or having to urinate in the middle of the night.
region, by making the lower abdominals
5. Did the movers
energy levels and/or stamina
Acknowledgements
stronger and putting the bulk of the weight,
while
making
dietary
changes?
- improve
Nica Clark
SUU
Department
of Agriculture
while lifting, on the legs instead of the back.
Figure 1. Incidence of localized muscle pain
75%
of
movers reported an increase in energy levels
and
Nutrition
reported by movers pre-intervention.
- Nutrition: The goal of this section was to
stamina
during
the dietary
intervention.
- and
Camille
Thomas
SUU
Department
of Physical
improve the energy and stamina of movers
and Human Performance
on the job by making small dietary changes.
- Kearney Moving/Atlas Van Lines
- Stretching: The goal of this section was to
see what times of the day, for stretching,
contributed to the largest decrease in