Effects of Operator Stance on Pushing and Pulling Tasks

A considerable amount of research has been done to determine the magnitudes of forces man can exert on loads. However, very little has been done to determine the optimum configurations an operator should assume in front of a load to be most effective. This paper presents the methodology and results of an investigation concerning these skeletal configurations and selects an optimum for pushing as well as pulling of loads. In addition, a biomechanical analysis of the forces and torques developed at various joints is included.