SpineWise Pro Kit: everything you need to know
Read this first!
You are getting started with the Pro Kit. Great! Read this short overview first so your measurements are useful and clear from day one.
What do we measure?
We broadly measure two kinds of things:
1) Parameters the employee can influence themselves through the vibration signal
This is about how someone moves. For example: how often someone bends forward deeper than 60° (alpha/α) and whether that happens with a "rounder" back (beta/β, e.g. 45° relative to neutral). β is used mainly in coaching settings or to map movement habits and techniques.
2) Parameters aligned with ISO standards
These focus on trunk inclination (α) and ignore the degree of rounding (β). They mainly reflect task demands / work environment and show to what extent these still need to be addressed. In principle they can improve through coaching, but they are only partly linked to it.
Key concepts (more info, see Measured parameters):
α (alpha) = trunk inclination relative to neutral (forward/backward).
β (beta) = back curvature relative to neutral (hollow/round).
(Optional, for reference: our default configuration uses α = 60° and β = 45° for bending, and α = -20° and β = -20° for overextending. You can always adjust this later in the settings.)
1. Setting up the wearables
First determine your goal. Ask yourself: Am I going to use the vibration signal (now or soon)? Am I mainly interested in how ergonomically someone moves, or only in how much and how heavily they move? In practice you usually end up with one of these two:
- Measure + coach (using the vibration signal): you want to steer behaviour on the work floor. Then you look at volumes (α) and execution (β).
- Measure only (ISO-compliant): you mainly want to map workplace load and task demands, as close as possible to the ISO definitions (so primarily α).
The default setting combines both: you get insight at the same time into how many movements there are (ISO-related via α) and how they are performed (coaching via β). Handy if you want to keep all options open afterwards without measuring again.
2. How many measurements/hours do I need?
Account for a lot of variation: within a single day, from day to day, and between people doing the same task (height, technique, habits, and so on). So choose an approach that fits your question:
Overview measurements (job/team level).
You want the overall load across all tasks. Guideline: at least 5 people for 1 to 2 weeks (depending on task variation). Big plus: a rich picture of averages and spread. Downside: the measurement is relatively "blind": peak moments cannot always be linked directly to a task.
Tip: briefly note tasks/times as you go; that way you can relate peaks afterwards. If you combine this with a coaching period using the vibration signal, the employees' feedback gives extra insight into which tasks make the vibration signal hardest to avoid. You can then dig into those bottlenecks with detailed measurements.
Detailed measurements (task-specific).
You zoom in on one specific task. Measure at least 5 people on that same task. This gives you a representative average and insight into individual variation. If possible, deliberately choose variation (height, experience, technique) so you can interpret differences well.
Pro Kit Desktop App
How do you download our app and get started right away?
👉 Start here: Pro Kit Desktop App page.
Wearable
How do you calibrate the wearables and use them correctly?
👉 See the full explanation on the Wearable page.
Give us your feedback!
Give your feedback through the app. That way we can make our software even better.
You can also always reach us at itsupport@spinewise.be for extra support.