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Back pain is
a frequently occurring complain in adults, having a
relatively large impact on the Nigerian bike riders.
Intervertebral disc are the key element of back pain.
Prolonged exposure to sitting posture in bike riding can
give rise to musculoskeletal disorders of the lower back.
This study seeks to determine the level of prevalence of MSD
among commercial motorbike riders in Nigeria and investigate
its possible causes resulting from non-alignment between the
rider’s anthropometric characteristics and the motor bikes.
Nigeria was divided into four zones and 2000 motor bike
riders were selected and surveyed in each zone using body
diagram in combination with questionnaire. A total of 8000
participants were considered. As a result of the survey, 40
participants from each zone were randomly selected and
studied. Anthropometric measurements of the motor bike
riders as well as the dimensions of the motor bikes were
also taken and compared with the dimensions of the existing
motor bikes. In addition, the characteristics angles of 9
body zones were determined. The survey shows that 79% of the
bike riders have lower back pain; the anthropometric date
showed that the existing motor bikes and the riders
characteristics angles {θ1(head/Neck) = 144°,
θ2(Elbow/Chest) = 37°, θ3(Elbow) = 139°, θ4(Waist/buttocks)
= 167°, θ5(Waist/Laps) = 97° and θ6(Laps/Ankle = 76°
respectively}. do not match which require the generation of
an anthropometric data for Nigeria riders and their motor
bikes for a redesign to Nigeria specification. The height of
the human linkage representation is about 165cm
hypothetically, and the characteristic angles for redesign
to comfort are: {θ1(head/Neck) = 160°, θ2(Elbow/Chest) =
41°, θ3(Elbow) = 144°, θ4(Waist/buttocks) = 171°,
θ5(Waist/Laps) = 102° and θ6(Laps/Ankle = 81° respectively}.
The study identifies the problem of MSD among motorbike
riders in Nigeria and their causes. The results of this
study show the agreement between a questionnaire on MSD for
the low back and other parts of the body. On this note,
anthropometric data will be a resolution for a redesign due
to the mismatch between Nigeria riders’ characteristics
angles and the motor bikes. The significant achievement of
this research captured the presentation of an anthropometric
data. There is a need for Nigerians anthropometric data in
design of motor bikes to create a match between the riders
and their motor bikes, after the evaluation of all other
possible causes of MSD which can be made minimal with the
implementation of the right anthropometric data for design.
Keywords:
Anthropometric Data, Low Back Pain (LBP), Mosculoskeletal
Disorder (MSD), Intervertebral Disc, Vibration, Body Map
Diagram (BMD).
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