The effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children

Evidence suggests there is increasing use of computers by children and poor workstation designs for children. This laboratory study investigated the effect of adjusting computer display height and desk height on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity. Thirty three children aged 4–17 years worked...

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Main Authors: Straker, Leon, Briggs, Andrew, Greig, A.
Format: Journal Article
Published: IOS Press 2002
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38248
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author Straker, Leon
Briggs, Andrew
Greig, A.
author_facet Straker, Leon
Briggs, Andrew
Greig, A.
author_sort Straker, Leon
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Evidence suggests there is increasing use of computers by children and poor workstation designs for children. This laboratory study investigated the effect of adjusting computer display height and desk height on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity. Thirty three children aged 4–17 years worked on a desktop computer at a standard school workstation and at a workstation adjusted to the individual, typically consisting of a lower display and desk height. The adjustments resulted in increased head tilt, neck flexion, gaze angle, cervical erector spinae activity and a trend for lower right upper trapezius activity. The recent evidence that suggests more head and neck flexion is not necessarily worse is discussed and normative values for children’s head tilt and neck flexion presented. The role of forearm support in decreasing trapezius activity is also discussed.
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publishDate 2002
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-382482017-01-30T14:16:02Z The effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children Straker, Leon Briggs, Andrew Greig, A. Evidence suggests there is increasing use of computers by children and poor workstation designs for children. This laboratory study investigated the effect of adjusting computer display height and desk height on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity. Thirty three children aged 4–17 years worked on a desktop computer at a standard school workstation and at a workstation adjusted to the individual, typically consisting of a lower display and desk height. The adjustments resulted in increased head tilt, neck flexion, gaze angle, cervical erector spinae activity and a trend for lower right upper trapezius activity. The recent evidence that suggests more head and neck flexion is not necessarily worse is discussed and normative values for children’s head tilt and neck flexion presented. The role of forearm support in decreasing trapezius activity is also discussed. 2002 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38248 IOS Press restricted
spellingShingle Straker, Leon
Briggs, Andrew
Greig, A.
The effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children
title The effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children
title_full The effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children
title_fullStr The effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children
title_full_unstemmed The effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children
title_short The effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children
title_sort effect of individually adjusted workstations on upper quadrant posture and muscle activity in school children
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38248