Powered drives designed to provide assistance moving hospital beds are commercially available but no research has evaluated whether they reduce push and pull forces. This study measured hand forces of 10 caregivers when maneuvering a manual and powered bariatric hospital bed in activities designed to simulate transporting a hospital patient. Compared to the manual bed, powered drive significantly reduced the peak push force required to initiate movement (238N manual, 119N powered) and peak pull force required to stop (155N manual, 8N powered). Powered drive significantly reduced the integral of hand force when maneuvering in tight spaces (847N manual, 557N powered), and was associated with lower subjective ratings of exertion for all tasks. However, powered drive did not affect the force required to sustain movement during straight-line pushing. Bariatric hospital beds with powered drive may reduce the risk of caregiver injury or reduce the number of caregivers needed for transport tasks.
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