Information for Companies: Case Studies

Prevention Case Study 1
A Back Strengthening Programme for a major US Airline (unpublished data)

Volunteer baggage handlers and cabin staff were assigned to a once-per-week exercise group (n. 294) using the MedX® Lumbar Extension Machine. Control was baggage handlers and cabin staff not on the exercise programme.

Initial reports showed that incidence of back injury over a 14-week period was 43 in the non-exercise group and just 1 in the exercise group. The implication was that the employees in the non-exercise group were 4.6 times more likely to have a back injury.

Based on the company's costs relating to back pain in the previous three years and a cost per employee exercising of $25 per month the study suggested a saving to the company of nine dollars for every dollar invested in the programme - a 900% return on investment.

Prevention Case Study 2
The Effect of Workplace Based Strengthening on Low Back Injury Rates: A Case Study in the Strip Mining Industry.

Volunteer workers (n. 197) did MedX® strengthening exercise once per week for a minimum of 20 wks. The control group was non-exercising workers (n. 203).

Strength gains in the exercise group over a 20 week period ranged from 54% to 104%.

Over the year of the study the incidence of back injuries in the exercise group was 0.52 injuries per 200k hours worked. Incidence of back injuries in the control group was 2.55 per 200k hours

(Mooney et al Journal of Occupational Medicine, 1995)