Title
Comparison of four specific dynamic office chairs with a conventional office chair: Impact upon muscle activation, physical activity and posture
Author
Ellegast, R.P.
Kraft, K.
Groenesteijn, L.
Krause, F.
Berger, H.
Vink, P.
Publication year
2012
Abstract
Prolonged and static sitting postures provoke physical inactivity at VDU workplaces and are therefore discussed as risk factors for the musculoskeletal system. Manufacturers have designed specific dynamic office chairs featuring structural elements which promote dynamic sitting and therefore physical activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of four specific dynamic chairs on erector spinae and trapezius EMG, postures/joint angles and physical activity intensity (PAI) compared to those of a conventional standard office chair. All chairs were fitted with sensors for measurement of the chair parameters (backrest inclination, forward and sideward seat pan inclination), and tested in the laboratory by 10 subjects performing 7 standardized office tasks and by another 12 subjects in the field during their normal office work. Muscle activation revealed no significant differences between the specific dynamic chairs and the reference chair. Analysis of postures/joint angles and PAI revealed only a few differences between the chairs, whereas the tasks performed strongly affected the measured muscle activation, postures and kinematics. The characteristic dynamic elements of each specific chair yielded significant differences in the measured chair parameters, but these characteristics did not appear to affect the sitting dynamics of the subjects performing their office tasks. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society.
Subject
Organisation
SP - Sustainable Productivity
BSS - Behavioural and Societal Sciences
Work and Employment
Workplace
Healthy Living
Dynamic office chairs
EMG
Physical activity
Posture
VDU/computer workplace
Dynamic elements
EMG
Erector spinae
Muscle activation
Office chair
Physical activity
Posture
Risk factors
Sitting posture
Structural elements
Activation analysis
Muscle
Dynamics
adult
article
biomechanics
body posture
chair
controlled study
electromyogram
equipment design
erector spinae muscle
ergonomics
female
human
human experiment
job performance
joint angle
male
muscle contraction
musculoskeletal system parameters
normal human
office chair
physical activity
sitting
skeletal muscle
trapezius muscle
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:19786ee8-67b8-40fc-a5fb-3f92d2429760
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2011.06.005
TNO identifier
442915
ISSN
0003-6870
Source
Applied Ergonomics, 43 (2), 296-307
Document type
article