Sitting Posture during Prolonged Computer Typing with and without a Wearable Biofeedback Sensor

Yi-Liang Kuo, Kuo-Yuan Huang, Chieh-Yu Kao and Yi-Ju Tsai
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Yi-Liang Kuo: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
Kuo-Yuan Huang: Department of Orthopedics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 701, Taiwan
Chieh-Yu Kao: Department of Rehabilitation, Sengkang Community Hospital 1 Anchorvale Street, Singapore 544835, Singapore
Yi-Ju Tsai: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-10

Abstract: Prolonged sitting combined with an awkward posture might contribute to the increased risks of developing spinal pain. Maintaining an upright sitting posture is thus often suggested, especially nowadays when people spend longer periods in the sitting posture for occupational or leisure activities. Many types of assistive devices are commercially available to help computer users maintain an upright sitting posture. As the technology advances, wearable sensors that use microelectromechanical technology are designed to provide real-time biofeedback and promote adjusting posture actively. However, whether such wearable biofeedback sensors could assist adjusting sitting posture in computer users during prolonged typing remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a wearable biofeedback sensor on maintaining an upright sitting posture. Twenty-one healthy young adults were recruited and performed a 1-h computer typing task twice, with and without using the active biofeedback device. The sagittal spinal posture during computer typing was measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. Using the wearable biofeedback sensor significantly decreased the neck flexion ( p < 0.001), thoracic kyphotic ( p = 0.033), and pelvic plane ( p = 0.021) angles compared with not using the sensor. Computer users and sedentary workers may benefit from using wearable biofeedback sensors to actively maintain an upright sitting posture during prolonged deskwork.

Keywords: sitting posture; computer users; wearable sensor; spine; biofeedback (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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