Effects of infant transportation on lower extremity joint moments: Baby carrier versus carrying in-arms.

BACKGROUND: The act of babywearing is recognizably a task of load carriage and has gained popularity among millennial caregivers.

RESEARCH QUESTION: The implications of babywearing on lower extremity joint moments of the caregiver are still unknown during prolonged transport and a direct comparison of babywearing to carrying an infant in-arms has not been previously conducted.

METHODS: Eighteen females participated in this study by performing 3 conditions: a) 3 min walking unloaded (UL), b) 15 min walking while carrying a mannequin infant in-arms (IA), and c) 15 min walking while wearing a mannequin infant in an anteriorly positioned baby carrier (BC). Two separate data analyses were conducted using a repeated measures ANOVA. First, UL compared to the initial minute of walking for IA and BC. Second, UL compared to the final minute of walking for IA and BC.

RESULTS: During initial minute comparisons, both IA and BC conditions increased joint moments in the frontal and sagittal plane at the knee with no change at the ankle and hip. During final minute comparisons, IA maintained the increases in the knee frontal plane joint moments observed during initial minute comparisons but also increased at the hip; however, BC generally showed no statistical difference from UL. Carrying an infant in a baby carrier more closely resembles unloaded walking, while carrying an infant in-arms appears to increase the mechanical load placed on the knee and hip joints in the frontal plane through an increase in joint moments.

SIGNIFICANCE: During prolonged transportation, caregivers might choose to employ a baby carrier as opposed to carrying an infant in-arms, as in-arm carriage increases the loading knee abduction moment by 8.7% and the loading knee extension moment by 16.7%.