Postural shifts and body perceived discomfort during 1-hour sitting when leaning and sitting on an air-filled seat cushion among healthy office workers

Abstract

This study compared the number of postural shifts and perceived discomfort while leaning and sitting on an air-filled seat cushion for 1 hour. Sixty office workers typed a standard text while leaning on a cushion placed behind the low back, sitting on a cushion placed under the buttocks, and sitting without a cushion (a control condition). The number of postural shifts was collected using a seat pressure mat device. Low back discomfort was assessed using the Borg CR-10 scale. Leaning on a seat cushion (22 shifts/h) led to a significantly higher number of postural shifts than sitting on a seat cushion (18 shifts/h) and the control condition (20 shifts/h). Leaning or sitting on a seat cushion significantly decreased low back discomfort compared to the control condition (p < 0.05). Leaning on a seat cushion placed behind the low back may be an effective means of preventing low back pain among office workers.

PRACTITIONER SUMMARY

During prolonged sitting, using a seat cushion, whether leaning or sitting on it, may be more efficient in preventing low back pain compared to not using one. Particularly, leaning on a seat cushion led to more postural shifts during sitting compared to sitting on one or not using any.

Keywords:

• Dynamic sitting
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Low back pain
• Sedentary workers
• Postural shift

Authors’ contributions

The authors have contributed in the following ways: NR provided concept/research design, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript writing. SC and PJ contributed to concept/research design, data analysis, and manuscript writing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the 90th Anniversary of Chulalongkorn University Fund (Ratchadaphiseksomphot Endowment Fund) under Grant GCUGR1125652060M.