Gravitational demand on the neck musculature during tablet computer use

Abstract

Tablet computer use requires substantial head and neck flexion, which is a risk factor for neck pain. The goal of this study was to evaluate the biomechanics of the head–neck system during seated tablet computer use under a variety of conditions. A physiologically relevant variable, gravitational demand (the ratio of gravitational moment due to the weight of the head to maximal muscle moment capacity), was estimated using a musculoskeletal model incorporating subject-specific size and intervertebral postures from radiographs. Gravitational demand in postures adopted during tablet computer use was 3–5 times that of the neutral posture, with the lowest demand when the tablet was in a high propped position. Moreover, the estimated gravitational demand could be correlated to head and neck postural measures (0.48 < R ² < 0.64, p < 0.001). These findings provide quantitative data about mechanical requirements on the neck musculature during tablet computer use and are important for developing ergonomics guidelines.

Practitioner Summary: Flexed head and neck postures occur during tablet computer use and are implicated in neck pain. The mechanical demand on the neck muscles was estimated to increase 3–5 times during seated tablet computer use versus seated neutral posture, with the lowest demand in a high propped tablet position but few differences in other conditions.

Keywords::

• tablet computer
• biomechanics
• neck muscles
• posture

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Roseann Amundsen and Darin Porter of Pullman Regional Hospital Radiology for their assistance with radiographs, and Zane Duke, Victor Small and Theodore Gross for data analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Funding was provided by the Office Ergonomics Research Committee and National Science Foundation [CBET number 0748303].