Biomechanical Analysis of Entry, Egress and Loading of a Passenger Vehicle with Rear Hinged Rear Doors

A biomechanical analysis was undertaken to establish the articulation of the back lumbar region and the loads in the muscles of the back during entry and egress of a passenger vehicle with both forwarded hinged and rear hinged doors. The study was then extended to consider placing an object and retrieving an object from the rear seat of passenger vehicles with either forwarded hinged or rear hinged doors. It was found that loads in the muscles of the back and articulation angles were lower for the vehicle equipped with rear hinged doors than for the same activity in the same model of vehicle with forwarded hinged doors.